Clark secures BMW Championship title with late surge at Bellerive
Wyndham Clark converted a five-stroke overnight lead into a two-shot victory, finishing at 17 under par to claim his third win of the season and qualify for the Tour Championship.
Wyndham Clark has secured his third PGA Tour victory of the season by claiming the BMW Championship at Bellerive Country Club. The American finished at 17 under par, edging out Patrick Cantlay by two shots in a final round that saw his commanding overnight advantage nearly evaporate before he closed out the tournament with a decisive three-birdie finish.
Entering the final day with a five-stroke lead, Clark’s position was immediately challenged. He three-putted from 65 feet for bogey at the first hole while Rory McIlroy holed a 10-foot putt for birdie, instantly cutting the gap. Clark subsequently bogeyed three of his first 10 holes, allowing the chasing pack to close in and creating a tense atmosphere on the course.
McIlroy mounted a serious challenge, finding three birdies in a four-hole stretch around the turn to sit level with Clark heading into the closing stretch. The Northern Irishman was tied for the lead with three holes remaining, but a costly bogey on the penultimate hole, coupled with Clark’s late momentum, proved decisive. Clark responded with a 15-foot birdie at the 16th and another at the par-five 17th to extend his advantage.
Patrick Cantlay claimed solo second place, reducing the lead by birdieing each of his final three holes to finish at 14 under. His performance was enough to secure a spot in the season-ending Tour Championship. Gary Woodland, Collin Morikawa, and Chris Gotterup shared fourth place, with Woodland’s bid for the title derailed by a double bogey on the ninth hole after topping his tee shot into a creek.
The victory marks a significant turnaround for Clark, who previously won the CJ Cup Byron Nelson and the US Open this season. The win also cements his place in the top 30 of the FedExCup standings, ensuring his participation in the finale at East Lake GC.
The Tour Championship will see the top 30 players in the standings compete for the FedExCup and a $10 million first prize. Robert MacIntyre finished tied-seventh with a final-round 65, while Scottie Scheffler competed while battling hand, foot, and mouth disease.
