Wyndham Clark held a six-shot lead after the third round of the 2026 U.S. Open but said a thin crowd at Shinnecock Hills left the atmosphere flat and hurt his focus. He finished his round after 8 p.m. ET on Saturday with two late bogeys. Clark said he hopes more spectators appear for Sunday’s final round.
Clark teed off at 3:45 p.m. ET and closed with a six-shot lead. He told reporters afterward that the small number of fans made it difficult to stay sharp.
“Yeah, it was kind of unfortunate that we’re finishing in the dark and people weren’t really out there because there were some obviously key, big moments, and it did kind of get a little flat,” Clark said.
The 54-hole leader added that the lack of energy affected his closing holes. “It seemed like everyone was leaving, and it was like the tournament was over, and I had to keep myself really focused,” he said, noting the two bogeys at 15 and 18.
Clark and World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler are scheduled to tee off at 2:30 p.m. ET on Sunday. Clark said he still feels the moment despite the quiet setting and hopes the final round draws a larger audience.
