Wyndham Clark became the fifth consecutive first-time major winner at the US Open as he held off the challenge of Rory McIlroy by a single stroke in Los Angeles.
For McIlroy, the wait for a fifth major and first since 2014 goes on as he finished runner-up – his sixth top-10 place at one of golf’s big four in the last seven editions.
The Northern Irishman briefly joined Clark in the lead on the opening hole but that would prove to be his only birdie of the day as he carded one bogey and 16 pars.
McIlroy hit 59 greens in regulation over the four days of golf – the next best was 53 – but once more he was let down by his putting.
And there were moments he will be left to rue – a missed birdie putt from 12 feet at the fourth and a four-footer to pick up a shot at the 14th as well as a bogey putt at the eighth and another birdie which eluded him at the ninth.
Clark would have been very few people’s pick for the title this week. He had qualified for just six majors previously, missed the cut on four occasions and had a career-best finish of 75th.
But he had enjoyed a breakthrough just last month in winning a first PGA Tour title at the prestigious Wells Fargo Championship. He dedicated this, the biggest victory of his career, to his mother Lise, who died of breast cancer back in 2013.
“I just felt like my mum was watching over me today and you know she can’t be here,” Clark said. “Miss you mum.
“I’ve worked so hard and I’ve dreamed about this moment for so long. There’s been so many times I’ve visualised being here in front of you guys and winning this championship. I just feel like it was my time.”
For Clark, there were a number of pivotal moments during his final round. He did well to only bogey the par-five eighth after being unable to clear his ball from the thick grass until eventually saving himself with a near-perfect chip out of the rough.
He went three shots clear with a birdie on the 14th but that was back to just one shot two holes later after back-to-back bogeys.
But McIlroy was not able to put enough pressure on his rival in the closing holes to keep the deficit to the long-time leader to a single stroke.
Afterwards, McIlroy said: “When I do finally win this next major, it’s going to be really, really sweet. I would go through 100 Sundays like this to get my hands on another major championship.
“There are a couple of things I will rue, the chip on 14 being one. It was really hard to get the ball close but I hung in there and just didn’t quite get the job done.
“I have just got to keep putting myself in these positions. Sooner or later it’s going to happen for me. I will keep coming back until I get another one.”
Tommy Fleetwood produced a stunning final round of seven-under-par, which included two eagles, four birdies and a bogey to leave him in fifth place overall at the close.
Meanwhile, Rickie Fowler, who had previously shared the lead with Clark, dropped back to Fleetwood on five-under with a closing five-over-par last 18.
