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2w ago

Wyndham Clark Holds Four-Shot Lead as USGA Firms Greens for Shinnecock Weekend

The USGA raised green speeds to a Stimp of 11 to restore grip and roll and forecast gusty winds could make the final two rounds much tougher and more volatile.

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Jun 19, 2026; Southampton, New York, USA; Wyndham Clark takes his shot on the ninth fairway during the second round of the U.S. Open golf tournament at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club. Mandatory Credit: Pamela Smith-Imagn Images

Overview

  • Wyndham Clark leads the 126th U.S. Open at 7-under and sits four strokes clear as he prepares to tee off in the final group on Saturday afternoon.
  • The United States Golf Association notified players late Friday that it would raise green speeds from 10.5 to 11 on the Stimpmeter to produce firmer faster surfaces for Saturday and Sunday.
  • Wind and fog disrupted early play this week and gusty conditions are forecast for the weekend, which will amplify the effect of faster greens and favor players who control spin and lag putts.
  • Betting markets and live analytics quickly re-priced Clark as the favorite for Moving Day with DataGolf giving him about a 36% win probability and BetMGM listing him as the live odds leader.
  • Several top names missed the cut and Shinnecock history matters because no 36-hole leader has won recent Opens there, so the tougher setup this weekend could produce dramatic leaderboard swings.