LOS ANGELES – Entering Friday’s second round of the 123rd U.S. Open, Wyndham Clark had three mini-goals:
1. Enjoy himself on a beautiful golf course.
2. Be cocky.
3. Remind himself of the first two goals.
Clark checked off all three while posting a second-round, 3-under 67 to take the clubhouse lead at Los Angeles Country Club. As Clark, sitting at 9 under addressed the media, first-round co-leader Rickie Fowler was just teeing off in his encore to Thursday’s U.S. Open-record 62.
The 29-year-old Clark, whose best major finish in six starts is T-75, didn’t expect to be atop the leaderboard come Friday night, but he still had a lot to be confident about.