Clark equals lowest 36-hole score to lead US Open by four shots

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/clark-wyndham/x4NXN7qb/"]Clark[/a], the 2023 US Open winner, curled in a 33-foot birdie putt at the 18th hole to fire a one-under par 69 and stand on seven-under 133 for 36 holes.[/p][p][b]"I had it on a good line and I almost really called it," Clark said of his last putt. "I'm glad it went in. It was a great way to finish the round."[/b][/p][p]Clark posted the lowest 36-hole US Open score ever at Shinnecock, his 133 one under the old mark by [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mickelson-phil/QylCNJeL/"]Phil Mickelson[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/maruyama-shigeki/nsRSlvtD/"]Shigeki Maruyama[/a] from 2004.[/p][p]A second-place pack on 137 included England's [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/fitzpatrick-matthew/6whOHmtf/"]Fitzpatrick[/a], South Korean [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/kim-joohyung/G28Un9r8/"]Tom Kim[/a] and Americans [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/schauffele-xander/OnIoiVkm/"]Schauffele[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/stevens-sam/tfTy1Y5U/"]Sam Stevens[/a] with American [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/morikawa-collin/0UlRrMgE/"]Morikawa[/a] on 138.[/p][p]On a 20-hole day, Clark parred his first 10, starting with two holes to complete a six-under 64 opening round after a fog delay prevented completion on Thursday.[/p][p]The 32-year-old American began his second round with eight pars but lipped out a 43-foot birdie putt at the ninth then missed a three-foot comeback effort.[/p][p][b]"Had an awesome day yesterday and then came out today, wasn't as good, but I really fought and hopefully this is the toughest day for me," Clark said.[/b][/p][embed guid="7bce938b-d9b9-41e6-bc62-cb0039c49400" url="https://x.com/usopengolf/status/2068141833155174427" social-type="twitter" /][p]Clark sank a five-foot birdie putt at the 12th and added a birdie putt from just beyond 28 feet at 13 then made bogey at the par-five 16th before the closing birdie.[/p][p]England's Fitzpatrick fired a 70. The 2022 US Open winner had bogeys at 11 on a five-foot par putt miss and 12, where he hit a cart path on his second shot.[/p][p]He birdied the par-five 16th from just inside 10 feet and sank a 13-foot birdie putt at 18.[/p][p][b]"Two in the last three always nice, especially at a US Open," Fitzpatrick said. "Struggled a little bit off the tee on the back nine, but overall scrambled incredibly well to be where I am."[/b][/p][p]Two-time major winner Schauffele, a back-nine starter, birdied three of his last four holes before the turn and sandwiched birdies at the fourth and sixth around his lone bogey in shooting 66.[/p][p][b]"Pretty pumped to come out and shoot something low," Schauffele said. "It's just a lot of patience and good golf shots, for the most part."[/b][/p][p]Two-time major winner Morikawa made five birdies in his first 10 holes in shooting a 65. The American birdied 15 and 16 but made bogey at the par-three 17th.[/p][p][b]"I chipped it a lot better," said Morikawa. "That's the difference of kicking yourself out of a tournament, keeping yourself in it."[/b][/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/thomas-justin/jV7EtuiD/"]Justin Thomas[/a], a two-time winner of the PGA Championship, closed with a birdie at nine to shoot 68 and stand on 139.[/p][h2]McIlroy seven back but optimistic[/h2][p]Others fell by the wayside.[/p][p]Second-ranked [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mcilroy-rory/djwanksN/"]Rory McIlroy[/a] began the back nine with three bogeys and erased birdies at 13 and 14 with a double bogey at 15 in shooting 71 to stand on 140.[/p][p][b]"Back nine was a bit of a battle," McIlroy said. "Couldn't stop getting myself to hit it over the back of the green... still feel like I'm in the tournament and in with a decent chance."[/b][/p][p]Top-ranked [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/scheffler-scottie/bXfIuBYu/"]Scottie Scheffler[/a], who would complete a career Grand Slam with a victory, shot 68 to stand on 140.[/p][p]Two-time major winner [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/johnson-dustin/UqNejxuE/"]Dustin Johnson[/a] pulled within a stroke of Clark with a birdie on 10 only to double-bogey the par-three 11th and bogey 12 and 13 on his way to a 77 to finish on 143.[/p][p]Fellow American [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/woodland-gary/lQRqur2j/"]Gary Woodland[/a], the 2019 US Open winner, began with a birdie but made bogeys on four of the next six holes and shot 73 to stand on 140.[/p][p]Those missing the cut included two-time major winners [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/dechambeau-bryson/vZG7Cn7s/"]Bryson DeChambeau[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/rahm-jon/h41jCwka/"]Jon Rahm[/a], defending champion [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/spaun-j-j/6oUJlkde/"]JJ Spaun[/a] and Australian [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/scott-adam/QkZT3jCc/"]Adam Scott[/a] in his 100th consecutive major.[/p]