Like last year's Open at St. Andrew's, safe and steady play from Rory McIlroy was not enough for a fifth major and a first since 2014, as the USA's Wyndham Clark weathered every challenge that came his way to win his first major championship.
The 29-year-old Clark came into the tournament as a relative unknown among casual fans, despite unassumingly working his way up to 32nd in the world rankings and 10th place in the FedEx Cup rankings.
However, he played with the touch of a veteran, particularly on the front nine when he grinded out a magnificent bogey on the par 5 eighth and followed it up with an all-time up and down on the very next hole.
McIlroy played smart and patient golf for the majority of the round, birdieing the easy par 5 first with pars until the 14th hole.
But, fans were getting deja vu watching him fail to drop a putt of a significant length, in a very similar fashion to the 2022 Open.
Rory McIlroy Unable To Chase Down Wyndham Clark
What a save from @Wyndham_Clark 💪
He maintains a one-shot lead after a clutch par on 11 @USOpenGolf. pic.twitter.com/eKgYivQhbv— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) June 19, 2023
Rory McIlroy joins the leaders with an opening two-putt birdie. 🐥@McIlroyRory #USOpen pic.twitter.com/EWBFf80Xu2
— U.S. Open (USGA) (@usopengolf) June 18, 2023
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The turning point came on the par 5 14th when McIlroy made bogey after plugging in a bunker, from which he got a fortuitous free drop.
Clark, playing in the next group, played the hole superbly by reaching the green in two and two putting for birdie, giving himself a three shot lead.
The American did give McIlroy a massive opening with bogeys on the next two holes, but the Northern Irishman was unable to take advantage as he parred his remaining holes.
Thankfully for Clark, the massive 18th fairway made the nervy tee shot very manageable, and he was able to make a straight forward par and take home the 2023 US Open.
His ten under par score beat McIlroy by one, with Scheffler in third, and Rickie Fowler and Cameron Smith in a tie for fourth.
McIlroy will now have to wait until this year's Open, which begins on July 16, for his next crack at a major.
Ridiculous approach from @Wyndham_Clark 🔥
He leads by three after another clutch birdie on 14 @USOpenGolf. pic.twitter.com/9cn7VdO9N7— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) June 19, 2023
Bogey for Wyndham Clark on 16.
The lead is now one @USOpenGolf. pic.twitter.com/ghfJXxb07z— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) June 19, 2023
The moment @Wyndham_Clark became a major champion. #USOpen pic.twitter.com/TIlB87G3o3
— U.S. Open (USGA) (@usopengolf) June 19, 2023
The St. Andrew's comparisons were also echoed by McIlroy who was heard saying to his manager, 'St. Andrew' all over again', before discussing the similarities with the media.
"The last real two chances I've had at majors I feel like have been pretty similar performances, like St Andrews last year and then here.
"Not doing a lot wrong, but I didn't make a birdie since the first hole today. Just trying to be a little more, I guess, efficient with my opportunities and my looks.
"Again, overall when you're in contention going into the final round of a U.S. Open, I played the way I wanted to play. There was just a couple of shots, two or three shots over the course of the round that I'd like to have back."
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