2026 U.S. Open - Saturday

The Wyndham Conundrum

I'm not breaking any news here when I say that Wyndham Clark is polarizing, as a player and as a person. This was true long before he grabbed the lead at the U.S. Open, and it will likely be true no matter what happens on Sunday. I tend to believe each of us contains multitudes, and that includes Clark. I don't believe he's the villain some people want to frame him to be, but I also don't think his redemption arc is as simple as he wants it to be. I think all of the following can be true of Wyndham:

• his apology for the Oakmont locker damage came way late
  

• It didn't seem particularly sincere at first
  

• He has tried to say it several different ways now
  

• He's a bit awkward in his delivery, including referring to himself in third person

• he can be awkward in general. (But hey, sometimes I am too.)
  

• It's also been discussed Ad nauseam by now
  

• Throwing a driver through a T-Mobile sign was also bad (very bad)
  

• He seems to be trying to mature & grow up
  

• He's a really good golfer overall, amazing short game and grit.
  

• You don't have to like him; it's good to have villains in golf
  

• The USA hockey jersey thing he did in Canada was good-natured trolling
  

• Two U.S. Opens, having beaten two generational talents like Rory and Scottie, would be really impressive
  

• You aren't obligated to buy into anyone's redemption arc, you can dislike whomever you want, that's sports.
  
  There is a good chance that Clark is going to be a two-time U.S. Open champion by tomorrow night, something only 23 people in history have done. That's worthy of our respect. It doesn't mean you have to root for him or change your opinion of him. If you want to root for a collapse tomorrow, go right ahead. You don't have to feel guilty about it. He has earned his reputation. But he's proving he's a very good golfer, not any kind of fluke, and seeing if he's mentally tough enough to close this out with all the vitriol (deserved or undeserved) is a worthy narrative for this championship.

I was certainly hoping to see a much different Shinnecock than what we’ve gotten this week. The forecast didn’t pan out. It’s still been great to watch and today was undoubtedly tough, but I think most of us would’ve preferred to see it firmer and faster throughout the entire week. The USGA may just have to accept that Shinnecock is a venue that may bring a bit of controversy. That’s part of the challenge of coming back here every few years.  Excited to see what tomorrow brings.

Finally just watched back the clip of the Scottie chip in on 14. I didn’t realize how animated he got after it dropped. I love when he shows that emotion. Doesn’t happen often but it’s so good when it does.

On History's Doorstep

We just watched Scottie Scheffler play the final round of his 20s and it was — in many respects — a great encapsulation of who he is as a golfer.

He can do exciting things (like when he chipped in for birdie on 14) but for the most part, you would not describe him as an exciting golfer. What he is, instead, is relentless. His Saturday round was not perfect. He could have eagled 16 and birdied 18 to really put some pressure on Wyndham Clark and guarantee himself a spot in the final group. But he still put together one of the best rounds of the day, a 69 that gives him a chance at one of golf's biggest prizes, the career Grand Slam.

In his post-round interview with NBC's Mike Tirico, the network joked that they didn't want to bring up the slam, like refusing to talk to a pitcher when he's throwing a no hitter. Scheffler scoffed.

"It's okay," he said. "I think everybody knows about it."

If Rory McIlroy is Maverick from Top Gun (a charismatic risk taker who is constantly behaving like you ain't living if you're not right on the edge) , then Scheffler is Iceman. Disciplined, cautious, steady and tactical. He was not happy with his golf for much of this week, particularly after the first round 72, but he did what he often does, went to the range to dig the answers out of the dirt. It is fascinating how often his tweaks are as simple as grip and alignment. There is probably a lesson there for us mortals.

Can he catch Clark tomorrow? (On his 30th birthday, no less?) It's going to be really tough. Clark already stood up to McIlroy in a similar situation, so he's unlikely to be intimidated. But U.S. Opens aren't often won by fearless heroes. They're won by wearing everyone else down. If I were Clark, I'd prefer it if it was McIlroy trying to run me down.

Instead he may hear the scariest two words you can hear on a difficult golf course much of Sunday:

Scottie coming.

I don’t mean to be hyperbolic or drop in some overstated cliche, just what I am seeing: there is next to no one out here following the final groups. The grandstand at 14 tee was almost empty when Wyndham came through. The porch and steps of the clubhouse that has been jammed with members or VIPs all week was almost entirely vacant. And the 18th grandstand is half full. Very strange. Maybe too late.

The top fives at TPC Craig Ranch and Shinnecock Hills. Did Lanny cook?

Two very, very good up-and-downs from Wyndham Clark on 10 and 11. Not many guys are getting up and in from those locations today.

Great shot by Scottie on 18, where almost everyone has been going long. But there's a bit of a tradition on this hole of great approaches being followed by missed putts (Chip Beck, Corey Pavin). #reversejinx

Loud cheers heard on the telecast as Wyndham's ball drips into the front-right bunker on 11

I am not following Scottie but his move and presence are definitely felt across a property that’s fairly open. When he chipped in at 14, it was loud down to 8 where the Wyndham and Xander groups were playing. Then his shot into 16 came as Wyndham played up 9. It’s a great dynamic felt on the ground.

Here’s Wyndham putting out at 9 on the right with Scottie putting for eagle down below on 16 on the left (18 green sandwiched between the two).

Is Scottie making this gallery feel things in a way he normally doesn't? This version of him — a little moody, uncomfortable with his own swing, definitely not firing on all cylinders but still capable of hitting shots no one else can — might have some juice.

My live reaction to that 2nd shot on 16

You can't hit a better golf shot than this:

https://x.com/usopengolf/status/2068451094804451469?s=20

If Scottie doesn't win this U.S. Open, it becomes very likely he won't win a major this season - a year of his prime. Big next hour upcoming to get himself into the mix.

Is it just me or are they hammering ads + "Playing Through" today?

Lot of golf left but this round from Rory feels like a carbon copy of yesterday. Going deep on 10 just takes all the air out of the tires. Sigh.

To complement Joseph's post below on 11, 10 is as scary as expected downwind. Driving distance and driving accuracy are both the highest they've been all week, but GIR percentage is the lowest — even lower than Thursday, when everyone was spinning it off the front. Lots of guys getting close to the green off the tee and then hitting their pitches over the back. But birdie is there for those who strike it properly from the fairway.

Driving Distance (Rounds 1, 2, 3): 280, 312, 326 (so far)
Driving Accuracy: 68%, 76%, 81%
GIR: 53%, 64%, 45%

This usga green section ad is kind of terrifying

I don't really understand why Rory hit driver on 10 there. He couldn't get all the way up the hill and onto the green. So why take on the risk of a potentially wide miss with driver if it was going to end up in the same spot hitting less than driver would have ended up? Missing that fairway is death today.

Maybe he thought he could get it on the green - which was a stretch - and I don't think the result would have changed, but that was a curious decision.

Watched shots into 10 and 11 for probably 2.5 hours earlier. As long as the wind continues to blow, anything on the green on 11 is a good shot. Anything within 25 feet is an excellent shot. Well-struck shots are getting smacked by the wind and falling out of the air.

Pretty cool plot today so far

Walking with the penultimate group and just heard a fan compare Xander Schauffele to Juan Soto. Please never say that NYGC has not captivated the New York market.

Tom Kim should be dropped from coverage until he makes a serious move. His pace of play is appalling. Plenty of names in the mix, we don't need to watch someone stand over the ball for 90 seconds.

Zero LIV players left on the golf course. Everyone either MC'd or teed off early enough that they're already done.

A Twitter/X user sent us this alternate version of the William Eagar Shinnecock Hills poster available in the Pro Shop.

Rory is off to a strong start, but he seems to be battling a two-way miss with irons and wedges the same way he did a couple of years ago. He's hitting a lot of great shots, too. I just don't think you can keep a hot streak going for very long at Shinnecock if you're not dialed in from 125-175.

#nerves

Just something to monitor later on in the evening: these greens get very bumpy near the end of the day. Would expect some putts to hop around the last couple of hours.

A front-nine pin position to keep an eye on as the leaders get started: back-left on 6.

One of our intrepid on-site reporters, name of Andy Johnson, alerted me to this one. See his photo of the pin below.

This pin heightens the strategic character of the hole, giving an advantage to players who find the blind landing zone on the right side of the fairway. Because of the orientation of the green and the left bunker, it's very hard to attack this spot from the more comfy left side.

Mostly, though, it tests the player's appetite for hitting his approach pin high. As the tracker shows, many players are happy with the front half of the green, not wanting to challenge the bunker or risk going long. But a two-putt from there is no guarantee. Those who reach the back half of the green see a variety of outcomes: some get close, others find the back-left runoff (which is very severe — see Andy's photo), and still others feed off the broader slope back-right.

In today's unusual right-to-left crosswind, this is a very challenging and interesting pin.

Brandon Holtz out in the galleries taking in some golf from the other side of the rope today. Best of both worlds.

Scheffler just said, "Ah, stupid rocks," after a pretty decent, but not great, bunker shot on the first hole. All week he has been visibly — and audibly — exercised about the pebbles in Shinnecock's bunkers.

Just goes to show that indigenous bunker sand should be more common in pro golf!

"Stupid rocks." - Scottie Scheffler

The summer wind is off the left on the first three holes, which is worth watching for the big faders of the ball on the leaderboard, and how they get off the bus. Not hitting fairways early can get you a little sped up and mess with your whole round. A couple of players of note who are predominant faders: Scottie, Wyndham, Morikawa…

#SHRINK the Volvo ad that just aired during the break.

"When we realized both of our parents drove Volvos when we were younger, we realized it was a match made in heaven."

Jordan Spieth started running up the hill from behind No. 11 green to mark his ball before the ball had even made it up the hill. Quickly marked his ball after it came to rest and the crowd gave a big cheer.

Nos. 10 and 11 are nasty right now. In a good way!

Wanted to make sure everyone saw this from Joseph in today's newsletter — some insight into the Niemann team's anger not only at the two-stroke penalty, but also at the fact that details of the incident became public through eyewitness testimony collected by Gabby Herzig.

The "clown" in this situation is quite obviously Niemann's caddie. Your guy threw a fit at a U.S. Open, in full view of volunteers and fans, and a reporter did her job by finding a named eyewitness source and reporting the facts. If you can't identify any inaccuracies and are unwilling to provide your side of the story when asked, go ahead and pipe down.

No. 10 just kicked James Nicholas’s ass. Over the back in two, hit on to 60 feet, putt it off the back of the green, left his fifth short which rolled back to his feet, on in six, two putted for eight.

Selective enforcement of the rules? Yes, it's a problem

By now you're problem exhausted by the discussion of Joaquin Niemann's 2-stroke penalty, which Joseph LaManga covered extensively in today's Fried Egg newsletter. Niemann — even as his caddie and coaches were throwing a tantrum about the unfairness of it all — owned up to it and said he agreed with the penalty. But as Bo Burham taught us, sometimes the backlash to the backlash of the thing that's just begun is the more interesting development of a controversy.

There are few things golf loves more than Whataboutism, and it was in full bloom Saturday morning as David Woods — one of the game's top instructors — unearthed a clip of Jon Rahm kicking his driver down the fairway on his way to missing the cut, wondering why he wasn't penalized the same way Niemann was. (The position of Niemann's camp, that he was being treated unfairly because he is a member of LIV, took on some water when Rahm's behavior came under scrutiny instead of Rory's, but let's not dwell much on how often the goalposts are moved in these debates.)

Brooks' point is a fair one, unlike the numerous clips dug up of Rory McIlroy throwing a club last year at Oakmont. There is a new rule in place this year allowing each of the four majors to hand out warnings and stroke penalties for serious conduct violations, and McIlroy's club toss (as well as Scottie Scheffler smashing a tee marker in anger) likely played a role in the majors adopting that rule. But here was Rahm, in the same tournament, kicking his driver multiple times in frustration. So what gives?

It does raise a fair point about golf's subjective rules, particularly in an era where some players appear on television weekly (every big moment available to be scrutinized in high definition replay) and some toil in relative anonymity. If rules officials are going to apply the Potter Stewart standard — I know it when I see it — but those standards aren't uniform, is that fair?

Baseball got tired of having this debate after 100 years, the idea that a strike might not be a strike depending on who the umpire is, and that's why we have the challenge system. Problem is, that's not a conduct issue. Every at bat in MLB is also on film, unlike every golf swing. How do we go back an evaluate Niemann's behavior vs. Rahm's behavior when Niemann's club throw wasn't on film? Basketball is wrestling with this when it comes to flagrant fouls. How do we determine intent?

Golf doesn't have to bother with intent. It could simplify things by making the rules black and white: If you throw a club, it's a two-stroke penalty, and your playing partners should protect the field the way they do with other rules infractions they see a player commit. Hot headed players would initially hate it, but it would send a pretty clear message about conduct.

Don't throw clubs.

Sudarshan Yellamaraju missed the cut on the number, but he’s out here grinding on the range in the wind.

Trying to stay fresh for the Travelers next week, where he is an alternate.

Cool seeing some young fans following Russell and Koivun out here. Also a bit crazy to think Miles is probably about 5 years older than most of them.

NGL, I'm a little jealous of how crispy NGLA is looking

Apropos of the professional wailing that may come, I was reading John Updike's USGA centennial speech (Dec. 1994) this morning as background for a short piece of writing that will likely be up today or tomorrow on FE. I found this interesting to read as we get into a weekend of potentially deep setup discourse and debate:

Mr. Strawn points out, too, that from quite early on American golf differed in some particulars from its parent golf in Scotland and England; what was there a game of the people, played on otherwise worthless links land became here a game for gentlemen, played at private country clubs. And yet a democratic sense of fairness, we read, dictated the eventual demise of the stymie and the rise of the dainty custom of cleaning and marking your ball on the green. Primordial golf was a rough and ready game, wherein nothing but a club touched the ball between tee and holing out; you took the terrain and your luck as they came. But in the New World, the ideal of human perfectibility favored medal play over match play, and precise and faithful scorekeeping encouraged ever more perfect golf course conditions.

I wonder, one hundred years after Charlie Macdonald cried out for some rules and course standards, whether we Americans aren't in danger of taking golf too seriously - too mechanistically.

CEASE AND DESIST, PAUL MCGINLEY! A letter from PJ and LaMagna's lawyers will be in the mail 😂

Jordan Spieth just pured an iron to 20 feet on No. 2. I couldn’t make out exactly what he said to Greller, but I think he said, “That might be the best iron shot I’ve ever hit in my life.”

This hole is playing hard

An hour and 55 minutes into the third round and we have our first birdies of the day.

#calebsurrattdoingdoingcalebsurrattthings

🤌🏼🤌🏼

Good morning from the No. 2 tee box, playing into the wind and off the left.

The tee has been moved up today so it is playing 229 yards, not 260-270. I’m sure it wouldn’t be hard to find complaints from fans about that setup decision, but moving up the tee is prudent. 260+ into the wind is a bit silly and a pace of play nightmare. Even at 229, this hole is a beast this morning

Interesting scene on 18 right now. About 10 members of the grounds crew/USGA are hitting putts from various spots to different hole locations. Maybe some worry about the original location they had chosen?

Calling out a few pairings I’m interested in for different reasons today:

10:17 a.m.: Jackson Koivun (a), Miles Russell (a)
Two of golf’s potential future stars. My favorite pairing of the day (great minds, Matthew!)

12:50 p.m.: Tommy Fleetwood, Ludvig Aberg
One of these two goes low today.

2:12 p.m.: Maverick McNealy, Rory McIlroy
Talk about an aesthetically pleasing pair of swings to watch all afternoon.

3:12 p.m.: Harry Higgs, Justin Thomas
Heavily hydrated fans will flock to these two in the afternoon.

3:23 p.m.: Collin Morikawa, Tom Kim
Vibes could be very high or very low in this pairing.

3:45 p.m.: Matt Fitzpatrick, Wyndham Clark
Can Fitz put a little pressure on Wyndham? Also, this tee time seems way too late.

Of the 20 amateurs to tee it up this week only 5 made it to the weekend fighting for the silver medal (does the usga give out shop credit?). Prime featured pairing at 10:17 today with two elite US ams (one is still technically a junior) playing together. must watch early group if you’re spectating

Players are on the range and the third round is about to begin! In case you missed it, here’s our coverage from Friday: 

- Joaquin Niemann Assessed Eventful Two-Shot Penalty

- Notable Players to Miss the Cut

- Wyndham Clark Working on Remodeling His Reputation