U.S. Open 2026: Clark Leads, Morikawa Charges at Shinnecock

Reading time: 7 min

The Leader’s Resilience

I’ve played a lot of golf in my time, and I’ve learned that the man leading a U.S. Open after 36 holes is a man fighting two battles: the course and his own head. Wyndham Clark is winning both right now. After a first-round 64, he ground out a 69 on Friday to sit at 7-under. Here’s the thing nobody talks about — when you lead a major, the pressure compounds exponentially. Every swing feels like the world is watching. Clark handled it like a seasoned veteran.

He hit 10 of 15 fairways and 15 of 18 greens, but the stat that tells the story is the putter: 32 putts sounds ordinary, but 214 feet of made putts does not. He made four putts over 20 feet, including a 35-footer on 18 for birdie. Bobby Jones once said, “The secret of golf is to turn three shots into two.” Clark is doing that all week.

“I’m tired,” Clark admitted. “I didn’t get to bed until 10:30, had to wake up at 4 a.m. My goal was to get to 10 or 11 under, but I missed some short ones. The great thing is I didn’t feel I had my best, and I’m still leading.” That’s not a tip — that’s a truth. The best players win even when they’re off.

Morikawa’s Signature Rally

Collin Morikawa gave us the round of the day, a 5-under 65. Walk the course and you’ll understand why that’s special at Shinnecock. He improved on his chipping dramatically, turning several flubbed up-and-downs from Thursday into clean saves. “I chipped it a lot better. Yesterday I had at least four up-and-downs I flubbed. That’s the difference between kicking yourself out of a tournament and keeping yourself in it,” he said.

Morikawa now sits at 2-under, five shots back. But I’ve played enough golf to know that a man who can shoot 65 on a U.S. Open course with his ball-striking is never out of it. Snead used to say, “The game is not about how good you are; it’s about how good you can be on the right day.” Morikawa just gave us a reminder.

Schauffele and Fitzpatrick in Pursuit

Xander Schauffele fired a 66, moving to 3-under. He was clinical: 11 fairways, 15 greens, 30 putts. I’ve watched him play a hundred times, and when his iron game is on, he’s as dangerous as anyone. He bagged five birdies, three in four holes on the back nine. “I played great today,” he said. “Winds laid down, and I took advantage.”

Matt Fitzpatrick is also at 3-under, solid as ever. These two are the biggest threats because they understand patience. The game doesn’t owe you anything, and they know it.

The Champions Who Faltered

Dustin Johnson followed a 66 with a disastrous 77, including a quintuple-bogey 8 on the par-4 15th. I’ve had rounds like that. One bad swing leads to another, and soon you’re in the hazard, then a bunker, then over the green like your aunt Sally. Brooks Koepka has only hit 59% of greens and is below the cut line. Both former winners will pack their trunks early. That’s the nature of Shinnecock — it humbles everyone eventually.

What to Expect This Weekend

Clark’s four-shot lead is comfortable but not safe. One double bogey and it’s down to two. However, he’s been here before and won. Both Hogan and Jones taught us that the mental game matters as much as the physical. Schauffele predicted that over-par will win this tournament. I’ve played that shot a thousand times — the grind matters. Every single shot demands attention for five hours. That’s why walking the course, feeling the ground, and staying present is the only way to survive.

I think Morikawa has a real shot. His ball-striking is world-class, and if the putting stays hot, he can make up ground. But I wouldn’t count out Clark. He has that calm, steady confidence that good players trust. The weekend at Shinnecock will separate the men from the boys, and I’ll be watching.

Stay with it, friends. The U.S. Open always delivers.