Wyndham Clark has once again etched his name into golf history, claiming his second US Open title at Shinnecock Hills on Sunday. The victory, a testament to his tremendous resilience, saw Clark navigate a charging Sam Burns and an overtly hostile crowd to secure a record-breaking prize money payout.
Clark’s triumph marks his second US Open win, following his initial success at the Los Angeles County Club in 2023. This latest victory was particularly notable as Clark led the tournament from start to finish, becoming only the ninth player in US Open history to achieve a wire-to-wire win.
Clark’s final round test
The final round, however, was far from a comfortable procession for Clark. He began the day with a commanding six-stroke advantage over Sam Burns, but that lead quickly evaporated. Burns mounted a formidable challenge, carding a final-round 67 that saw Clark’s cushion shrink to just a single stroke. Despite the immense pressure, Clark held his nerve, sealing the title with a crucial tap-in par on the 18th hole, ultimately finishing just one shot ahead of Burns.
Adding to the intensity was the palpable hostility from sections of the Shinnecock Hills crowd. Spectators were observed cheering Clark’s mistakes and expressing displeasure when he escaped trouble, reserving their loudest support for other players. Some individuals were even ejected from the event for making abusive comments towards Clark.
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“They definitely didn’t want me to win,” Clark stated, reflecting on the crowd’s behaviour while sat alongside the silverware. He described being booed or having the crowd ‘cheer for bad shots’ as “pretty rare” in a major tournament.
Record prize money distributed
Clark’s victory comes with a significant financial reward, as the 2026 US Open featured a tournament purse set at an unprecedented $22.5 million, matching that of The Masters, Golf Monthly reported. Clark himself will receive a staggering $4.5 million for his win, though he is expected to take home around half of that amount after various deductions.
The substantial purse ensured lucrative payouts throughout the field:
- Second-placed Sam Burns received $2,430,000.
- Third-place Tom Kim claimed $1,532,530.
- Scottie Scheffler, who finished T4, earned $920,882.
- Tyrrell Hatton (T7) earned $617,090.
- Justin Rose (T11) and Tommy Fleetwood (T11) both earned $405,862.
Even players further down the leaderboard benefited significantly, with anyone finishing T39th or better walking away with a six-figure payout. The minimum payout for making the cut exceeded $42,000, while the USGA provided an unofficial prize of $10,000 to every player who qualified for the 156-man tournament.
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