Leader Wyndham Clark entered the final round of the U.S. Open with a six-shot lead, but by the back nine at Shinnecock Hills, even the crowd seemed to be working against him.

No Laying Up posted an image on X showing a fan deliberately blocking Clark's view of the flag during his round.

"It's turning into a team effort out there to stop Wyndham," the post read. "Look at this guy blocking his view of the flag."

The moment came as Clark's lead continued to shrink, with fans following his group becoming increasingly vocal in cheering against him throughout the back nine.

The hostility started last year. After Clark missed the cut at Oakmont 2025, he damaged a locker out of frustration. Fans at Shinnecock still remember that incident and have not let him forget it.

The drop in Clark's performance was real. He played the front nine in 3-over-par 38, including a bogey on the par-5 fifth hole, which is usually the easiest hole on the course. As a result, Sam Burns cut the gap to just one shot.

By the back nine, Clark's six-shot lead had shrunk to one. The last player to lose a lead of more than five shots after 54 holes at the U.S. Open did so in 1919, putting Clark in danger of an unwanted piece of history.

As Clark's lead got smaller, the crowd's behavior became a big part of the story.

Fans react in real time as Wyndham Clark battles the field

Nighthawk also posted on X and clearly highlighted how important the situation was.

"For a guy who has been open about his mental struggles on the golf course, having the entire crowd actively rooting against you as you look to avoid a historic choke job has to be a NIGHTMARE for Wyndham Clark," the post read.

Brian Giuffra criticized fans who were cheering against Clark. He pointed to an incident in the third round when a spectator shouted, "Bad day to be a locker!" after Clark's approach shot on the 11th hole landed in a bunker.

While criticizing the crowd's behavior, Giuffra referred to advice written by Bobby Jones in 1949.

Jones wrote that one of golf's biggest disappointments is spectators cheering a player's mistakes or bad luck. He noted such incidents were rare at the Masters and said they should be eliminated to preserve patrons' reputation as knowledgeable and respectful fans.

The criticism extended beyond Shinnecock, with Giuffra noting that fan behavior at the 2025 Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black led PGA of America president Don Rea Jr. to issue an apology after saying some fans had "crossed the line."

Clark was struggling with both his golf game and the hostile crowd. Even so, he still had 13 holes left to protect a lead that had almost disappeared.

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Written by

Sneha Abraham

Edited by

Pulkit Prabhav