Wyndham Clark grabs four-shot lead at US Open but major champions lurk

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/clark-wyndham/x4NXN7qb/"]Clark[/a], the 2023 US Open winner, curled in a 33-foot birdie putt at the 18th hole to fire a one-under par 69 and stand on seven-under 133 for 36 holes.[/p][p]"[b]That hole it kind of feeds toward the hole so I just thought I'd get it started[/b]," Clark said of his last putt. "[b]I had it on a good line and I almost really called it. I'm glad it went in. It was a great way to finish the round[/b]."[/p][embed guid="eb5bc18b-c60a-4c75-9d18-1aca8e5ef1ef" url="https://x.com/usopengolf/status/2068027996846293079" social-type="twitter" /][p]The 32-year-old American led England's [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/fitzpatrick-matthew/6whOHmtf/"]Fitzpatrick[/a] and compatriot [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/schauffele-xander/OnIoiVkm/"]Schauffele[/a] by four with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/morikawa-collin/0UlRrMgE/"]Morikawa[/a] another stroke adrift.[/p][p]On a 20-hole day, Clark parred his first 10, starting with two holes Friday morning to complete a six-under par 64 opening round.[/p][p]A fog delay had prevented completion of the first round on Thursday.[/p][p]Clark began his second round with eight pars but lipped out a 43-foot birdie putt at the ninth then missed a three-foot comeback putt.[/p][p]"[b]Had an awesome day yesterday and then came out today, wasn't as good, but I really fought and hopefully this is the toughest day for me[/b]," Clark said.[/p][embed guid="5159ec46-0c31-41e3-9355-12bbe94d26df" url="https://x.com/usopengolf/status/2068021657373941874" social-type="twitter" /][p]Clark, a PGA Tour winner last month in Texas, sank a five-foot birdie putt at the 12th and added a birdie putt from just beyond 28 feet at 13 to reach seven-under.[/p][p]Clark rescued par from the right rough at 14 and left rough at 15 but found two fairway bunkers on the way to a bogey at the par-five 16th before closing with his best putt to boost his lead.[/p][p]England's Fitzpatrick fired a 70 to stand on 137. The 2022 US Open winner followed 10 pars with bogeys at 11, on a five-foot par putt miss, and 12, when he hit a cart path on his second shot.[/p][p]He then birdied the par-five 16th from just inside 10 feet and sank a 13-foot birdie putt at 18.[/p][p]"[b]Two in the last three always nice, especially at a US Open[/b]," Fitzpatrick said. "[b]Didn't really feel like I made too much up until those two holes really. Struggled a little bit off the tee on the back nine, but overall scrambled incredibly well to be where I am[/b]."[/p][embed guid="b48af7d7-a319-4844-9d14-73cefa4c28b1" url="https://x.com/usopengolf/status/2068018924004778302" social-type="twitter" /][p]Two-time major winner Schauffele, a back-nine starter, birdied three of his last four holes before the turn and sandwiched birdies at the fourth and sixth around his lone bogey.[/p][p]Two-time major winner Morikawa made five birdies in his first 10 holes in shooting a 65. The American had a tap-in birdie at 15 and sank an eight-foot birdie putt at 16 but found a bunker at the par-three 17th and made bogey.[/p][p]"[b]I chipped it a lot better[/b]," said Morikawa. "[b]That's the difference of kicking yourself out of a tournament, keeping yourself in it. Got off to a good start, hit a couple of good iron shots, but made the up-and-downs[/b]."[/p][h2]McIlroy out late[/h2][p]Other rivals, meanwhile, fell by the wayside.[/p][p]Two-time major winner [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/johnson-dustin/UqNejxuE/"]Dustin Johnson[/a] pulled within a stroke with a birdie on 10 only to double bogey the par-three 11th and bogey 12 and 13 on his way to a 77 to finish 10 adrift on 143.[/p][p]Fellow American [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/woodland-gary/lQRqur2j/"]Gary Woodland[/a], the 2019 US Open winner, began with a birdie to reach four-under but made bogeys on four of the next six holes and shot 73 to stand on 140.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/thomas-justin/jV7EtuiD/"]Justin Thomas[/a], a two-time winner of the PGA Championship, went three-under on the back nine, made bogeys at the first and third holes but closed with a three-foot birdie putt at nine to shoot 68 and stand on 139.[/p][p]Six-time major winner [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mcilroy-rory/djwanksN/"]Rory McIlroy[/a], the world number two from Northern Ireland, was set for a late start after opening on 69.[/p][p]Top-ranked [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/scheffler-scottie/bXfIuBYu/"]Scottie Scheffler[/a], who would complete a career Grand Slam with a victory this week, opened on two-over and goes off late as well.[/p]