St. Louis – Wyndham Clark turned a difficult opening hole into a dominant performance at the BMW Championship, posting a five‑under 65 and a five‑shot cushion heading into Sunday’s final round. The 30‑year‑old’s comeback began after a double bogey on the first hole, where a short chip left him seven feet short of the green.
“Hit a bad shot on 2, but then really made a nice recovery and then got into a nice groove after that,” Clark said after the round. He followed the early stumble with five birdies over an eight‑hole stretch, including an eagle‑chance 5‑wood that landed 12 feet from the pin on the par‑5 eighth.
Key moments of the round
Clark’s birdie streak featured a 30‑foot putt on the 10th, a 15‑foot birdie on the 11th, and back‑to‑back birdies from the 12‑foot range on the 13th and 14th. A crucial par save from the bunker on the sixth hole kept his momentum rolling. By the end of the round, even a late bogey could not erase his five‑stroke advantage.
Rory McIlroy responded with three straight birdies late in his round and saved par from a bunker on the 18th to finish with a 65, while Patrick Cantlay birdied the final hole for a 66. Both players remain tied for second, a position that matters for Cantlay’s FedEx Cup hopes; he sits 43rd in the standings and needs a strong finish to break into the top 30 that advance to the finale in Atlanta.
Implications for the FedEx Cup
Clark’s lead puts him in a strong position to contend for the FedEx Cup championship and its $10 million prize. A win would also bolster his case for PGA Tour Player of the Year, adding to his major‑championship victory earlier this season.
Other notable performances included Gary Woodland, who posted a 70 with two birdies, keeping his season alive but still six shots back. Justin Thomas slipped to a 71, tying for 15th, while Scottie Scheffler also shot 68, 12 shots off the lead.
The final round on Sunday will determine which 30 players advance to the FedEx Cup finale at East Lake in Atlanta. In addition to the championship, the round serves as the cutoff for six automatic spots on the Presidents Cup team, with Clark likely securing a place regardless of his final standing.
Fans in St. Louis can look forward to a dramatic finish as Clark seeks to extend his winning streak and solidify his place among the PGA Tour’s elite.
Original reporting: Alexandria, VA News – WTOP News — read the source article.
