Tommy’s Take – Clark Grinds It Out at Shinnecock, Woad Heartbreak, and Eyes on Royal Birkdale
What a week, and what a U.S. Open we were treated to at Shinnecock Hills.
It wasn’t the most spectacular major championship we’ve ever seen, but you simply cannot question the determination of Wyndham Clark. Remarkably, he took the outright lead at 7:09pm on Thursday evening and never surrendered it. Four days of pressure, four days of everyone chasing him, and somehow he found a way to stay in front.
Clark closed with a final-round 73 — his highest score of the week — but when the dust settled, it was enough. He finished at four-under-par, one shot clear of Sam Burns, to claim his second U.S. Open title.
The final round was far from flawless. In truth, Clark looked vulnerable at times. But that’s what major championships do; they expose every weakness and test every nerve. The defining moment came on the par-5 16th. After finding trouble from the tee, it looked as though his tournament might finally be slipping away. Instead, he produced the shot champions produce, holing a lengthy birdie putt from the fringe. Looking back, that proved to be the difference between lifting the trophy and heading for a playoff.
I know Clark remains a polarising figure. The locker-room incident at Oakmont cost him a lot of goodwill among fans and fellow players alike, and many haven’t forgotten it. Personally, I’m willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. We rarely know what battles people are fighting behind closed doors, and everyone deserves the opportunity to learn, grow and move forward. Whatever your opinion of him, one thing is undeniable: as a competitor, Wyndham Clark is absolutely relentless.
As for Sam Burns, he’ll be hurting.
To finish just one shot short is painful enough, but the opportunities he’ll replay in his mind over the coming weeks will make it even tougher. The missed birdie chance on the par-3 17th from around 12 feet was a huge moment. Then on the 18th, he produced a magnificent approach to give himself another realistic look at birdie. He struck the putt beautifully, but it drifted agonisingly past the right edge. That’s major championship golf — sometimes the margins are brutal.
Over on the LPGA Tour at the Meijer LPGA Classic, there was heartbreak of a different kind for one of my favourite players, Lottie Woad.
The young English star looked destined for victory before a cruel lip-out on the 72nd hole forced her into a playoff. Credit has to go to Miyu Yamashita, who wasted no time seizing her opportunity, birdieing the first sudden-death playoff hole to secure the title.
It’ll sting for Woad, no doubt about that, but her rise over the past 12 months has been nothing short of remarkable. She carries herself with a maturity well beyond her years, never gets too high or too low, and I’d be amazed if this setback slows her momentum for long. Her time is coming.
And just like that, another week is in the books and another major championship is done.
The U.S. Open delivered exactly what it always promises — pressure, drama, heartbreak and a worthy champion.
Now our attention turns across the Atlantic.
Next stop: Royal Birkdale.
Bring on The Open.