US Open 2026: Clark in control as wind derails McIlroy and Scheffler at Shinnecock Hills
US Open second round rankings
-7 W Clark (USA); -3 M Fitzpatrick (Eng), T Kim (Cor), X Schauffele (US), S Stevens (US)
Selected: -2 C Morikawa (USA); -1 J Thomas (USA); Level A Fitzpatrick (Eng), R McIlroy (NI), S Scheffler (US); +1 A Rai (Eng), J Rose (Eng), L Aberg (Sweden), T Fleetwood (Eng); +2 T Hatton (Eng); +4 R MacIntyre (Sco)
Weather once again took the top spot at Shinnecock Hills as Wyndham Clark built a healthy four-stroke half lead into the US Open.
Scottie Scheffler called the high winds “the biggest challenge,” while Rory McIlroy pointed out that “the draw and the scores, played in the windiest conditions, showed that the two best teams in the world were seven behind Clark after finishing the second round tied for the title.”
Of course, this is one of the dangers of exercising outdoors, where start times are spread throughout the day. The score average shifted from 73.87 on Thursday morning to 71.97 for early starters on Friday.
Clark, the 2023 champion, was one of those who took advantage of playing in better conditions late Thursday and early Friday, trailing her opening 64-under 64 with a 69.
2022 US Open champion Matt Fitzpatrick of England was also on this side of the draw and with a score of 70, he was among Clark’s closest rivals at three-under. Joining that number is two-time major champion Xander Schauffele.
But the wind wasn’t the only culprit, considering both players on McIlroy and Scheffler’s team were four back and joint second: South Korea’s Tom Kim and American Sam Stevens.
McIlroy also reached three under after making two birdies in the opening eight holes and saw the player most likely to eat into Clark’s lead before being derailed by a combination of poorly executed shots and a strengthening wind in his second nine holes.
The stormy conditions were not as extreme as they were on Thursday, when 40 mph winds buffeted the Long Island course in New York state.
But this was clearly a punitive situation that would cause Scheffler trouble, especially on the hitting surfaces.
“It’s extremely difficult to play in the wind, given the amount of pitches you have in the wide area, and it can also be difficult to judge speed on strikes when the wind is blowing that hard,” he said.
