Rory McIlroy has to wait for the fifth major win of his career. The golf star is missing some luck on the green at the US Open. That’s why an outsider wins his first big trophy.
Outsider Wyndham Clark let his emotions run free after the holed putt to the title at the 123rd US Open. The 29-year-old golf pro from Denver clenched his fists and looked up at the sky for a long time before hiding his tear-stained face behind his golf cap on the 18th green at the Los Angeles Country Club.
Clark had withstood the pressure of golf star Rory McIlroy in the final round and won his first major tournament by one shot. A round of 70 and a total of 270 strokes was enough for him on Sunday to win ahead of McIlroy from Northern Ireland (271) and world number one Scottie Scheffler (273) from the USA.
“This is my second win on the PGA Tour. The first was surreal and the second is surreal too,” said an overjoyed Clark. He had only won the Wells Fargo Championship in early May and thus qualified for the US Open by jumping into the top 60 in the world rankings. For his triumph on the outskirts of the posh district of Beverly Hills, Clark received prize money of 3.6 million US dollars.
US Open Champion thinking of his mother
At the award ceremony in front of the low sun in southern California, Clark remembered his mother who had passed away. Lise Clark introduced her son to golf and had a major impact on his career before she died of breast cancer in 2013. “I felt like my mother was looking at me. She can’t be here. I miss you mom,” he said. “I felt like it was my time.”
McIlroy, on the other hand, has to wait for his fifth major title. He also played a final round of 70, but missed good birdie chances on the greens. Many of his putts missed the hole by inches. McIlroy last won a major tournament nine years ago at the British Open in Liverpool. “I fought to the end and didn’t quite get the job done. But like I said, I’ll come back until I do it,” said the 34-year-old. “I would go through 100 Sundays like this to hold another Major title in my hands.”
World number one, Scottie Scheffler, took third place. He, too, played a round of 70s to finish in Los Angeles. The American Rickie Fowler, who had been in front for the first three days, slipped down to shared fifth place after a weak lap of 75. The only German participant, Martin Kaymer, failed at the cut after two rounds of 73 on Thursday and Friday and was eliminated early.
Source: Stern
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