Top 3 U.S. Open Contenders at Shinnecock Hills as Wyndham Clark Leads Heading Into the Weekend

SOUTHAMPTON, N.Y. — As the 126th U.S. Open moves through its second round at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club, a clear picture is beginning to emerge of which golfers stand the best chance of hoisting the trophy come Sunday. With Wyndham Clark holding the lead and a deep, talented field still very much in the mix, here is a closer look at the three players in the strongest position to win this year's championship.

1. Wyndham Clark — The Frontrunner With a Proven Track Record at This Event

No player has positioned himself better through the tournament's opening stretch than Wyndham Clark, who has carried his red-hot opening round directly into the second day of play. Everyone will be chasing Wyndham Clark, who finished up a brilliant Round 1 early Friday morning, coming in with a 6-under 64. That gave him a two-shot lead as Round 2 began.

Wyndham Clark's lead remained at three shots through much of Friday's second round, even as he made seven straight pars to begin the round and the putts that were dropping on Thursday slid by the edges so far on Friday. So far, that hasn't been showing up for the leaders, as Clark has relied on some tough par saves to stay at 6 under, while Dustin Johnson can't get a putt to drop — even good ones.

Clark's case as the favorite extends beyond his hot start this week. He has previously won the U.S. Open, giving him direct experience converting major championship pressure into a title, a quality that often proves decisive on demanding U.S. Open setups where mental composure matters as much as ball-striking.

2. Matt Fitzpatrick — A Past Champion in Strong Form

Among the small group of past U.S. Open champions chasing Clark, Matt Fitzpatrick stands out both for his title pedigree at this specific championship and for the broader strength of his 2026 season. He's the only golfer on tour with three victories this season and was playing better than anyone before a recent so-so stretch. The 2022 U.S. Open winner is coming off back-to-back mediocre finishes in the event but is playing much better this season.

Fitzpatrick has remained squarely in contention through the championship's early rounds. William Mouw moved into a tie for second with Matt Fitzpatrick and Dustin Johnson during Friday's second round, keeping Fitzpatrick within striking distance of Clark's lead.

Right behind Clark sits a host of former U.S. Open champions, including Dustin Johnson, Gary Woodland, and Matt Fitzpatrick, underscoring just how stacked the leaderboard's upper tier has become with players who already know exactly what it takes to win this specific championship.

3. Xander Schauffele — The Betting Favorite Built for Shinnecock's Demands

Despite not leading the tournament outright through two rounds, Xander Schauffele enters the weekend as the betting market's top overall pick to win the championship, based on a remarkable record of sustained excellence at this specific major. Schauffele's worst finish in nine U.S. Open starts is a tie for 14th — a remarkable run of consistency at an event that is almost impossible to fake your way around when you don't have your best stuff. Schauffele has always been a major performer, with 19 top-10 finishes in 36 overall major starts, and while he hasn't quite returned to the form that won him two majors in 2024, he does have back-to-back top-10 finishes to start 2026.

The case for Schauffele centers heavily on the specific demands Shinnecock Hills places on a player's overall game. Shinnecock Hills requires the right mindset and a well-rounded game to get the job done. Schauffele has both. That combination of mental toughness and complete shot-making ability has repeatedly proven decisive at U.S. Open venues, which are widely regarded as the most demanding and unforgiving courses among the four major championships.

Other Notable Contenders to Watch

Beyond the top three, several other players remain firmly in the championship conversation heading into the weekend. Rory McIlroy — the 2026 and 2025 Masters winner — sat tied for ninth at 1 under after a gritty Round 1, leaving him within range of the leaders depending on how the weekend unfolds. McIlroy isn't competing as much on tour as he did in the past, but it doesn't seem to be hurting him so far. After picking up his second straight win in the Masters, he has three straight top-20 finishes.

Cameron Young has also emerged as a player to watch, particularly given the championship's location. Young was Captain America during last year's Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black, and the New York native is playing in front of a home crowd again this week. He has two wins and six top-10 finishes in 2026.

A surprising name has also factored into Friday's second-round action. William Mouw, bogey-free through 11 holes with three birdies on his card, moved to 3 under for his second round and the tournament, putting him into a share of second place despite having recorded only one top-10 finish on the PGA Tour this season prior to this week.

A Punishing Course That Has Created Drama Throughout

Shinnecock Hills has lived up to its reputation as one of the most demanding venues on the major championship rotation, producing dramatic swings for several prominent players already this week. LIV's Joaquin Niemann was assessed a two-stroke penalty after throwing his club on No. 6 during Round 1, which the USGA described as "serious misconduct" under Rule 1.2b. The club-throwing happened after Niemann made a quintuple-bogey 9 on the par-4 sixth, which was changed to a septuple-bogey 11 after the penalty. In all, he went from even par to 7 over in the span of one hole.

The course has also produced one of the tournament's most compelling individual storylines so far, courtesy of an amateur competitor. Rising Oklahoma senior Ryder Cowan shares second place into Friday after a history-matching opening round, tying Sam Randolph's 1986 mark for the lowest round by an amateur in a U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills. "That is very cool, very cool," Cowan said.

What Comes Next

With the cut line projected to fall somewhere in the range of 3-over to 5-over par, the weekend rounds at Shinnecock Hills are set up to deliver a genuinely wide-open championship battle. If the PGA Championship taught us anything, it is that even amid an era of professional golf catered toward the world's best, any player can be the world's best on any given week, a reminder that while Clark, Fitzpatrick, and Schauffele represent the strongest cases entering the weekend, Shinnecock Hills has a long history of producing champions from well outside the pre-tournament favorites list — meaning the final outcome remains very much undecided as the championship heads into its decisive closing rounds.