When the horn sounded to suspend play for darkness at Shinnecock Hills, Clark sat at 6-under with 2 holes still to finish Thursday morning. That's not a typo. At a track that has historically chewed up and spit out the best players in the world, Clark is making it look like a member-guest. The biggest highlight of his round was a dart of an eagle that pushed him to a 2-shot lead mid-round — and he never looked back.
Clark's eagle that ignited the leaderboard run, with live U.S. Open broadcast footage confirming his position.
If anyone was keeping pace, it was Dustin Johnson — until it wasn't. DJ had a chance to stay close but lipped out a short putt on 6, turned it into a double, and suddenly found himself 4 back. The kind of gut-punch moment that separates major championships from every other week on tour.
DJ's lip-out and double bogey that opened the gap to 4 shots, with the on-screen leaderboard showing Clark's commanding lead.
But even as Clark was putting on a clinic, the real conversation happening in real time was about the course itself. Riggs was not subtle about it. His message to the USGA: enough with the 'Southampton Classic' vibes — turn Shinnecock back into Shinnecock. The complaint isn't just hot take for the sake of hot take. A LIV pro interviewed post-round by BBC Sport echoed the sentiment on camera, saying the course played 'potentially a little over soft' and 'like a completely different golf course' with balls spinning back downwind. The USGA's rationale — possible 40 mph winds in the forecast — is defensible, but when pros are going low at Shinnecock Hills, you're either setting up the stage for history or leaving meat on the bone of one of the hardest setups in golf.
Riggs making the case for letting Shinnecock be Shinnecock, backed by a player interview describing the course as 'over soft.'
The USGA did get one thing right Thursday: they reversed a ruling after fans and video evidence confirmed a ball wasn't lifted — a genuinely cool moment where the crowd essentially won a rules dispute. And then there was the group of guys in pink polos who pushed a charter bus out of the mud near the grounds, which is honestly the most U.S. Open fan energy possible. Shinnecock is only on the major rotation once a decade. The setup debate will rage until Sunday. Clark finishing those 2 remaining holes Thursday morning might be the most interesting tee time of the week.