Wyndham Clark Sets Shinnecock Record to Build Four-Shot U.S. Open Lead

Wyndham Clark is making Shinnecock Hills look surprisingly manageable. The 2023 champion followed up his opening-round 64 with a steady 1-under 69 on Friday, setting a new 36-hole U.S. Open record at the historic venue with a 7-under 133 total. Clark capped his second round by draining a 35-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole, putting him four shots clear of the field. Currently priced at +195 (Pinnacle) to secure his second major title, Clark is in complete control heading into the weekend.

His record-setting total of 133 eclipsed the previous Shinnecock 36-hole benchmark of 134, set by Phil Mickelson and Shigeki Maruyama in 2004. It is a massive turnaround from his frustrating missed cut at Oakmont, where he famously damaged a locker. Despite the historic pace, Clark believes there is still room for improvement. "I really felt like I could be in double digits (under par)," Clark said. "But you know, the great thing about that is I didn’t feel like I had my best, and I still am leading as of right now. Hopefully, I can bring my A-game on the weekend."

The Chasing Pack

A formidable group of four players sits at 3-under par, trying to close the gap on the leader. Among them is Xander Schauffele +650 (BetRivers), who carded a 66 on Friday, and 2022 champion Matt Fitzpatrick +700 (FanDuel). Joining them at 3-under are Tom Kim +2283 (Pinnacle) and Sam Stevens +3000 (Bovada). Schauffele noted the fair but challenging setup, saying, "It's once a year you get to see some carnage, and it's at a U.S. Open. Try to embrace it as much as you can."

Oklahoma State Presence

The weekend at Shinnecock will feature a heavy Oklahoma State presence, with four former or current Cowboys making the cut. While Clark and Stevens occupy two of the top spots, former Cowboy Peter Uihlein +500000 (DraftKings) and current amateur Eric Lee +500000 (Bovada) also advanced to the weekend, teeing off in the early Saturday groups.