Wyndham Clark had a one-shot lead over Rory McIlroy with 9 holes left Sunday within the 123rd US Open at Los Angeles Country Club.
Clark, a 29-year-old Denver native enjoying in solely his seventh main, separated from third-round co-leader Rickie Fowler with three early birdies whereas Fowler bogeyed three of his first seven holes.
Clark then persevered by means of hassle earlier than the flip to remain within the lead. He bogeyed the par-5 eighth after getting caught in some robust greenside tough, and he bought up-and-down from a nasty lie on the ninth to protect his one-stroke benefit over McIlroy, who went into the flip with eight straight pars.
Clark and Fowler started the ultimate spherical atop the leaderboard at 10 underneath, with McIlroy only one shot behind. Clark and Fowler had been each chasing their first main titles, whereas McIlroy was searching for to finish a protracted main drought after getting all 4 of his titles from 2011-14.
Clark made a 2 1/2-foot birdie putt on the primary gap, and he added two extra birdies earlier than a misadventure on the eighth that included a failed chip that went 8 inches in heavy tough. He then pulled his tee shot on the par-3 ninth into the tough, however bought up and down.
McIlroy was a lot steadier than his fellow leaders. But the again 9 at LACC is more durable and McIlroy was a mixed 2 over on the inward 9 in the course of the first three rounds.
Fowler had at the very least a share of the lead after every of the primary three rounds, however the Southern California native pale with three bogeys in his first seven holes Sunday. He three-putted the fifth gap after which hit his method shot right into a native space on the seventh, pushing him down the board earlier than he arrested his fall with a birdie on the eighth.
Clark earned his first PGA Tour victory final month on the Wells Fargo Championship in Charlotte, North Carolina, and the arrogance gained from that outcome has been apparent in Los Angeles. Clark by no means completed larger than seventy fifth in his first six main championship appearances, however he began this US Open with a 64 earlier than staying proper with Fowler for the following two days.
The greatest early performer on the ultimate day was Tommy Fleetwood, who shot a scorching 63 to complete at 5-under 275. He had two eagles in his spherical, and he missed a 7-foot birdie putt on the 18th to overlook the brand new Open file of 62.
The 32-year-old Englishman additionally shot 63 within the ultimate spherical of the 2018 US Open at Shinnecock Hills, making him the fourth participant to shoot a number of rounds of 63 in main championships.