News

Championship Sunday at Shinnecock: How to Watch Clark's Historic Bid

?
Golf Colors
·3 min read
Championship Sunday at Shinnecock: How to Watch Clark's Historic Bid

There's something about Shinnecock Hills that makes Sunday afternoons feel heavier than they should. The salt air off Peconic Bay carries decades of championship heartbreak and triumph, and today promises to add another chapter to this storied ground. Wyndham Clark stands 18 holes from a second U.S. Open title, and I can tell you from experience—watching the shadows lengthen across those rumpled fairways is one of golf's great privileges.

Where We Stand After 54 Holes

Clark has been magnificent. After entering Saturday with a four-shot cushion, he did exactly what champions do on difficult days—he ground out pars when the course refused to yield birdies. His even-par 70 included an eagle at the par-5 16th that sent the galleries into a frenzy, and he now sits at seven under with a six-shot lead heading into the final round.

But this is Shinnecock, and six shots can feel like nothing when the wind shifts and the pins tuck behind those infamous collection areas. Standing on the first tee Sunday afternoon will be World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, who fired a third-round 69 to climb into a four-way tie for second at one under. The final pairing of Clark and Scheffler goes off at 2:45 p.m. ET—a matchup that promises high drama even with the significant margin.

How to Watch Sunday's Final Round

The USGA and its broadcast partners are offering comprehensive coverage throughout the day, which is fortunate because you'll want to see every moment of what promises to be a fierce finish on Long Island.

Television Coverage

  • USA Network: 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. ET (early wave coverage)
  • NBC: 12 p.m. – 7 p.m. ET (main broadcast through trophy presentation)

Streaming Options

For those of us who can't bear to miss a single shot, the streaming options are extensive:

  • Peacock: Featured group coverage begins at 7:55 a.m. ET, with a live simulcast of NBC's broadcast from 12-7 p.m. ET
  • USOpen.com: Featured group streaming from 7:55 a.m. ET through finish
  • USGA App: Featured group coverage starting at 7:55 a.m. ET

The Course That Defines U.S. Open Golf

I've walked Shinnecock Hills during three previous U.S. Opens, and each time the course reveals something new. The William Flynn design sits atop glacial moraine, its fairways tumbling naturally toward the bay in ways that make you forget any human hand shaped them. When the wind blows—and it will blow Sunday—this becomes perhaps the most honest examination of golf skill in America.

Saturday's conditions demanded patience, and Clark delivered it. The question now is whether he can maintain that composure with a world No. 1 breathing down his neck and those famous Shinnecock galleries pressing against the ropes.

Notable Tee Times for Sunday

Early starters include Dylan Wu and James Nicholas at 7:45 a.m. ET, followed by Peter Uihlein and Russell Henley at 7:56 a.m. Hideki Matsuyama, paired with Neal Shipley, tees off at 8:18 a.m.—worth watching if you're streaming the featured groups, as Matsuyama knows how to manufacture a Sunday charge.

What This Means for Clark

A victory Sunday would make Wyndham Clark a two-time U.S. Open champion, joining an elite fraternity that includes Curtis Strange, Ernie Els, Lee Janzen, Brooks Koepka, and a handful of other legends. The four-time PGA Tour winner has shown all week that his game travels to demanding venues, but Shinnecock on Sunday will test every fiber of that conviction.

Takeaway

Championship Sunday at Shinnecock Hills represents everything I love about U.S. Open golf—the tension, the history, the sense that anything can happen when the wind freshens and the pins get tucked. Clark controls his destiny, but Scheffler is lurking, and this old course has broken hearts before. Get your coffee ready by 9 a.m., find a comfortable spot, and settle in for what should be a memorable finish to a remarkable week on Long Island.