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June 18 (UPI) — Wyndham Clark used a spectacular brief sport and held off a late Rory McIlroy cost to seize his first main title on the 2023 U.S. Open on Sunday on the Los Angeles Nation Membership.
“I really feel like I’ve labored so exhausting and dreamed about this second for thus lengthy,” Clark mentioned on the NBC broadcast. “There have been so many occasions I visualized being right here and profitable this championship.
“I simply really feel prefer it was my time.”
Clark sank a brief par putt on No. 18 to safe the U.S. Open Trophy and the $3.6 million prize, ending with a four-round rating of 10-under par. The No. 32 participant within the Official World Golf Rating carded an even-par 70 over his last 18 holes on the North Course.
McIlroy additionally was even par over his last 18 holes, however completed one stroke behind Clark. No. 1 Scottie Scheffler (-7), No. 9 Cameron Smith (-6), No. 21 Tommy Fleetwood (-5), No. 65 Min Woo Lee (-5) and No. 45 Rickie Fowler (-5) rounded out the Prime 5 finishers.
Clark entered the day tied for first with Fowler at 10-under. He began the ultimate spherical with birdies on three of his first six holes.
He sank one other birdie on No. 14 for a three-stroke lead earlier than back-to-back bogeys on Nos. 15 and 16. These blunders allowed McIlroy to climb inside a stroke of the lead. Clark then made par on his last two holes to hold on to his slender edge.
McIlroy birdied his first gap and made par on every of his subsequent 12 holes. The No. 3 participant on this planet then made bogey on No. 14 earlier than pars on his last 4 holes.
“I hung in there and fought proper to the top,” McIlroy mentioned. “I did not fairly get the job performed. I’ll preserve coming again till I get one other one.”
Fowler, who held a minimum of a share of the lead by way of every of the primary three rounds, made seven bogeys over his last 18 holes. He carded a 5-over 75 within the last spherical.
The Vacationers Championship is the subsequent match on the PGA Tour schedule. That match might be held from Thursday by way of June 25 at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, Conn.
The 2023 British Open is the subsequent main on the schedule. That might be held from July 20 to 23 at England’s Royal Liverpool Golf Membership in Hoylake.
