Wyndham Clark secured a historic four-shot lead at the US Open on Friday after carding a one-under-par 69 during the second round at Shinnecock Hills in Southampton.
The 2023 champion reached a seven-under-par total of 133, breaking the previous 36-hole tournament record of six under par set in 2004.
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Clark leads Matt Fitzpatrick, Xander Schauffele, Sam Stevens, and Tom Kim by four strokes entering the weekend.
The American leader rebounded from a difficult stretch on the greens, securing his advantage with lengthy birdie putts on the 13th and 18th holes.
"I really felt like I could be in double digits," Clark said. "I turned not my best golf into a good day."
Rebuilding Reputation
Clark also addressed his ongoing efforts to rebuild his reputation following a controversial locker-damaging incident at Oakmont a year ago.
"I've gotten a lot of grief since last year, rightfully so," Clark said. "The thing that's unfortunate is that's not who I am, what happened last year."
"I'm hoping I can win back the fans that I had or some new fans because it was a terrible incident," he added.
"I really feel like I can show people that I'm fun and outgoing, I'm fierce, competitive, love the game, respect the game, and I just had a bad moment."
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Among the chasing pack, former champion Matt Fitzpatrick remained in contention despite dropping late shots, while Collin Morikawa surged forward with a round of 65.
