US Open leaderboard LIVE: Golf result and reaction as Rory McIlroy outduelled by Wyndham Clark
Rory McIlroy loses by a single shot to suprise winner Wyndham Clark on dramatic final day
Rory McIlroy’s major golf heartbreak continued as he narrowly missed out on US Open glory, beaten by a single stroke by unheralded American Wyndham Clark at Los Angeles Country Club.
Clark’s previous best performance at a major was a tie for 75th at the 2021 PGA Championship, yet he held his nerve like a seasoned pro to grind out victory on 10-under with a round of 70 after four birdies and four bogeys.
He was three strokes clear after 14 holes and appeared to be cruising to glory, before bogeys at 15 and 16 gave the chasing McIlroy a sniff. However, the Northern Irishman was simply unable to make a putt all day as a lone birdie on the 1st was cancelled out by a bogey at 14 for an uninspired round of 70, which meant pars at 17 and 18 were enough for 29-year-old Clark to add his name to the long list of US Open winners.
McIlroy’s major drought now stands at nine years and his quiet Sunday with the putter was reminiscent of last year’s Open at St Andrew’s when he couldn’t reel in a catchable Cameron Smith – who incidentally finished fourth in Los Angeles on -6 after an impressive final-day 67. All the other contenders for the title heading into the day faded badly as Rickie Fowler (75) and Scottie Scheffler (70) never mounted a serious challenge, although Tommy Fleetwood’s brilliant 63 enabled him to end in a tie for fifth on five-under.
Relive all the action from the final round of the 123rd US Open below.
Bogey for Smith
Smith E (13)
England’s Jordan Smith is another who made light work of the front nine this morning. A front-nine 30 followed by a birdie on eleven had him in the red for the tournament.
But he drops back to level par after a bogey at the 13th. Still a great tournament in the making for the DP World Tour player who had only made the cut at two of his previous six major championships.
Fleetwood continues his charge
Fleetwood -2 (8)
Eagle at six is followed by birdie on eight and Fleetwood moves further into the red and four under par for his front nine so far.
Rahm into the red
Rahm -1 (6)
Jon Rahm will probably be the first to tell you that it’s been a frustrating week for him at LACC. Far too many mistakes have him well out of contention today but a nice birdie on the sixth - which now sees the pin on the right-hand side of the green - moves him into the red at one under for the tournament.
Fleetwood threatens the pin at seven
Fleetwood -1 (7)
Right after the eagle on six, it’s a delicious tee shot into the seventh which almost hops in after a couple of bounces. It runs quite a way past the pin but it’s a well-judged two-putt to make par.
Eagle for Fleetwood
Fleetwood -1 (6)
Tommy is one of the few people I’ve seen this week that has successfully driven the par-four sixth. He gets his just reward with an eagle and moves into the red for the tournament.
Front nine bearing fruits
Eckroat -4 (8)
Yesterday it was Tom Kim, today it’s Austin Eckroat. The American is six under par through eight holes after an eagle on eight. It’s a cloudy morning in Los Angeles - much like the first day - so there are scores out there on the front nine.
Only time will tell what conditions will look like in a couple of hours when the leaders go out.
US Open LIVE: Rory McIlroy has arrived
Rory McIlroy in the house. He tees off 10.19pm BST and has arrived at LA Country Club.
US Open LIVE: Jon Rahm on the charge
Another birdie for Jon Rahm as he follows up his effort at the 1st with a swinging right to left putt on the 3rd green. In the hole and that moves him back to where he started the week, at evens.
US Open LIVE: Austin Eckroat making moves
Only one man is currently under par for the championship out on the course. That’s unheralded American Austin Eckroat. After a birdie at the 1st, Eckroat made a rare birdie at the 4th after a gorgeous tee shot and followed that up with another at the 5th.
Three-under for his round and -1 for the tournament. Currently T15, although as we’ve seen all week, this course bites back HARD on the back nine.
Is this Rory McIlroy’s time?
We’re about three hours away from the leaders heading out on the course and attention is starting to turn to who will lift the trophy later on.
Rory McIlroy hasn’t won a major since the 2014 PGA Championship at Valhalla, which followed his Open title at Hoylake that year as he raced to four in total. It was hard to imagine he would go some nine years without another.
He hasn’t exactly shone the last two weeks when he had a chance to win: he was tied for the 54-hole lead at the Memorial and shot 75 to finish four back; and then last week in the Canadian Open, he was two shots behind going into Sunday and shot 72 to finish five back.
Will he break that trend today? His army of fans will hope so.
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