At times on Sunday at Shinnecock Hills it felt like becoming a case of if, and not when, Wyndham Clark would collect a second US Open title and the moment he has craved since smashing up a locker at Oakmont a year ago.
Having led at the end of each of the previous three days, the American, who had built a six-shot lead, began his fourth round as the overwhelming favourite.
However, by the time he reached the end of the seventh hole, the 2023 champion was wobbling. His massive advantage had evaporated to a single stroke with Sam Burns in hot pursuit.
Crucially though, nobody was able to draw level with Clark. And while there were several more plot twists, it was only when he holed a stunning 25-foot birdie putt on the 16th that it felt like he would cross the finishing line as the first wire-to-wire winner of the tournament since Martin Kaymer in 2014.
Even then there was drama. A bogey on the 17th left him needing to par the last, which he did with a superb 53-foot birdie putt that finished inches from the hole.
This victory will not fully atone for his infamous meltdown at last year’s championship that led to him receiving a ban from the Pennsylvania club until he underwent anger management therapy and paid for the repairs to the ancient lockers he damaged.
And there were occasions on Sunday, when it appeared like his subsequent acts of contrition had not cut through to the galleries judging by their reactions to him.
With many willing on his playing partner, world number one Scottie Scheffler, to complete a career Grand Slam, a huge number of fans celebrated Clark’s bogey on the seventh and others were reportedly ejected from the course because of their hostility.
It was far from the scenes Europe’s players were faced with at Bethpage Black at September’s Ryder Cup but Clark blocked out the noise to complete the victory.
