Wyndham Clark is the 2023 U.S. Open champion after shooting a 10-under par 270 over the weekend at Los Angeles Country Club, beating Rory McIlroy by a single stroke.
The win was Clark’s second PGA Tour victory (2023 Wells Fargo Championship) and first in a major.
“I just feel like I’ve worked so hard, and I’ve dreamed about this moment for so long,” Clark said as he received the Jack Nicklaus Gold Medal presented to the tournament champion.
“There’s been so many times I’ve visualized being here in front of you guys and winning this championship, and I just feel like it was my time. Thank you.”
Clark entered the day tied with Rickie Fowler at 10-under and was one of three golfers to shoot an even-par 70 during the final round, along with McIlroy and Dallas’ Scottie Scheffler.
“I hit some great shots coming down at the end, and although I made a couple bogeys and it seemed like maybe the rails were coming off, I was inside pretty calm,” Clark told the media after the final round. “I’m really pleased with myself with how I performed.”
Fowler did not fare well in the final round, shooting a five-over par 75 with seven bogeys and finishing in a tie for fifth with Min Woo Lee and Tommy Fleetwood.
“I just didn’t have it today,” Fowler told the media after the tournament. “Iron play was very below average and didn’t make anything. That’s a big thing in majors, especially on a Sunday. Making putts and kind of keeping it fairly stress-free.”
Scheffler finished in third with a 7-under-par 273, and Cam Smith came in fourth at 6-under.
“I fought hard today, and I’m obviously a little frustrated to come up short, but I put up a good fight,” the Dallas native said in a post-tournament press conference. “Wyndham played some fantastic golf this week, and so he is a well-deserving champion.”
Defending U.S. Open champion Matt Fitzpatrick finished with a 1-under 279 to land in a tie for 17th place.
Clark rises to 13th in the Official World Golf Ranking after his win.
The U.S. Open was the third of the four major golf tournaments, and the British Open (July 20-23) is the only one remaining this season.
The 2023 PGA Tour continues with the Travelers Championship in Cromwell, Connecticut, this weekend.
