Grand Slam Setback
Scottie Scheffler Misses Chance to Advance Grand Slam Bid Despite Clark's Struggles at US Open
Scottie Scheffler had his chance at Shinnecock Hills — and he didn't take it. Wyndham Clark, the defending champion, handed him an opening with a disastrous stretch on Saturday that cost Clark five strokes in just four holes. Scheffler, the world No. 1, failed to pull away. A third player took the trophy instead. AP reported that Clark gave Scheffler the 'crack' he needed, but Scheffler never walked through the door.
The 126th U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills in Southampton, New York, ended with Ludvig Åberg surging past both Scheffler and Clark. Scheffler finished at -1, two strokes off the winning score of -3. It was another near-miss in his pursuit of the Career Grand Slam — the one title missing from his résumé.
Clark's Saturday Collapse That Changed Everything
The tournament's turning point came Saturday afternoon. Clark played four holes in +5 — a double-bogey, a bogey, a par, and another double-bogey. The meltdown began on the par-4 9th hole when Clark drove into the fescue grass. During that same stretch, Scheffler played even par. He gained nothing. AP described the moment as the 'grieta' — the crack — that should have opened the door for Scheffler.
Clark himself was surprised Scheffler didn't pull away. 'I made a few mental errors on Saturday that should have cost me more than they did,' Clark said, according to Sports Illustrated. 'I was surprised Scottie didn't pull away when I stumbled.' Scheffler had three straight birdie chances on holes 13, 14, and 15. He missed all three putts from within 12 feet.
Scheffler's Putter Went Cold at the Worst Moment
Scheffler ranked 1st in Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green among players who made the cut. That means he hit the ball better than anyone. But he ranked 64th in Strokes Gained: Putting, per PGA Tour stats. On Sunday alone, he lost 2.4 strokes to the field on the greens. His long game was elite. His short game was not.
Scheffler did not hide from it after the round. 'I had the looks. Wyndham gave me the door, and I just didn't walk through it,' he said, per ESPN. 'This one is going to sting because the ball-striking was there, but the flat stick let me down when the pressure peaked.' Analyst Brandel Chamblee of Golf Channel put it bluntly: 'He let Clark off the hook, and he let the field back in.'
The Grand Slam Pursuit That Keeps Getting Away
Scheffler won the Masters in 2024 and 2025. He won the PGA Championship in 2025. The U.S. Open is the only major he needs to complete the Career Grand Slam. His failure at Shinnecock puts him in company with legends like Phil Mickelson and Sam Snead — players who dominated their era but struggled to close out a specific major.
Betting markets reacted quickly. Scheffler's odds for the upcoming Open Championship at Royal Birkdale drifted from +400 to +650, according to DraftKings. Questions are already swirling about whether he will change putters or seek a new putting coach before the trip to England. The USGA's Mike Whan offered little comfort: 'The fact that the world's best couldn't capitalize on mistakes shows how thin the margin for error is at Southampton,' he said, per the New York Times.
Åberg Wins While the Favorites Stall
While Scheffler and Clark traded missed chances, Ludvig Åberg made his move. He won at -3, finishing two strokes clear of Scheffler. An estimated 250,000 fans watched the drama unfold over four days at Shinnecock Hills. The event is projected to generate $120 million for the Long Island economy, per the Suffolk County Department of Economic Development.
The result leaves the golf world with a clear narrative heading into the final two majors of the year: Scheffler remains the best player on the planet from tee to green. But at the U.S. Open — where rough is thick and greens are fast — that alone is not enough. Until his putter catches up to the rest of his game, the Grand Slam will have to wait.
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