Wyndham Clark has pocketed a huge $3.6million (£2.8m) after claiming his first Major victory at the US Open.
The American went into the final round as co-leader but was able to produce when it mattered most at the Los Angeles Country Club, eventually winning by one shot from Rory McIlroy, whose own wait for a fifth Major title goes on.
Clark had never previously contended at a Major but the 29-year-old continued his fine form in California having won his first PGA Tour event at the Wells Fargo Championship back in May. He hit par on his final round, despite some late scares, and joins an impressive list of winners whilst also bagging a life-changing sum of money.
McIlroy, who was left to rue another narrow miss, still picked up $2.1m (£1.6m) for finishing in second whilst third-place man Scottie Scheffler also landed a seven-figure sum as he claimed $1.4m (£1.09m). Englishman Tommy Fleetwood came up with a final round 63, one shot off equalling history, which saw him finish in a tie for fifth.
The final day of the US Open often falls on father's day in America, but it was Clark's mother who introduced him to the sport before her passing due to breast cancer. Clark paid tribute to her following his victory: “I just feel like my mom was watching over me today.
“She can’t be here… miss you mom. She was so positive and such a motivator in what she did. She’d be crying tears of joy (now). She called me ‘winner’ when I was little. When she was sick and I was in college, she told me, ‘Hey, play big’. Play for something bigger than yourself.
"You have a platform to either witness or help or be a role model for so many people. I know she’d be proud of me. I feel like I have worked so hard and dreamed about this moment for long. So many times I’ve visualised being here in front of you guys winning this championship.”
McIlroy meanwhile is now nine-years without a Major, but can still change that at the Open later this year. He's finished in the top ten in six of his past seven Majors and is prepared to go through several Sundays of torment just to land his fifth.
"I would go through 100 Sundays like this to get my hands on another major championship," said the Northern Irishman. "The golf course was playing really tricky but all in all, I played a solid round. It is fine margins at this level, at this tournament especially, but I fought to the very end. I'll keep coming back until I get another one."
