Another champ not named Rory
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Wyndham Clark (-10) edged Rory McIlroy (-9) by a stroke on Sunday to win the 123rd U.S. Open and his first major championship.
Why it matters: Majors are the crucible in which golf legacies are forged. While Clark's surprise victory landed him in the record books, McIlroy's narrow loss extended a stunning drought for one of the world's best.
State of play: It's been quite the ascent for Clark, 29, who was ranked 293rd in the world a year ago.
- Now, with six top-12 finishes in his last nine tournaments, he's up to No. 13 after becoming the fifth straight U.S. Open champ to claim his first major title.
- Clark had missed four cuts and never finished better than 75th in his first six majors before his breakthrough at Los Angeles Country Club.
The other side: McIlroy, still just 34 and ranked No. 3 in the world, has been inarguably one of the world's best golfers over the past decade except in one crucial way: He's now gone 33 consecutive majors without winning, dating back to the 2014 PGA Championship.
- He's come excruciatingly close, with more top-10 finishes in that span (19) than any other golfer.
- That excellent play continued this weekend, where his 59 greens in regulation led the field and his total of 271 was the best U.S. Open score ever by a non-winner.
Yes, but: Because the margins among all-time greats are razor thin, elite athletes are often judged — perhaps unfairly — by their performance on the biggest stage. And despite capturing four majors by age 25, Rory's won the same number in the past nine years as you or I have.
Looking ahead: "I would go through 100 Sundays like this to get my hands on another major championship," McIlroy said at his post-match news conference. If history is any indication, that could come as soon as next month.
- The 151st Open Championship is being held at England's Royal Liverpool Golf Club in July.
- The last time it was played there was 2014, when McIlroy won his third major title.
