Scottie Scheffler faced a challenging day at the 2026 U.S. Open, finishing tied for fourth place after a tense final round at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club on Sunday. The tournament, held over Father’s Day weekend, marked Scheffler’s 30th birthday and a potential opportunity to complete a career Grand Slam, but he ultimately fell short, finishing four strokes behind champion Wyndham Clark.

Scheffler, who entered the final round six strokes behind Clark, had demonstrated promise during the previous day’s back nine, reducing the gap and appearing poised for a strong charge. However, his performance on Sunday was marked by missed opportunities and critical mistakes. Notably, his second shot on the par-4 seventh hole struck the green only to roll back into a bunker, resulting in a bogey. This misstep punctuated a day in which Scheffler struggled to convert several close putts.

“I felt like I did enough to have a really good round,” Scheffler said after the tournament. “It was just, man, I felt like I hit a lot of good putts that were really close to going in. Just wasn’t able to kind of hole those.”

The crowd showed strong support for Scheffler, often chanting in celebration of his birthday and urging him on with hope for a comeback against Clark, who secured his second U.S. Open title in four years. Fans rooted for Scheffler to hit fairways and greens while hoping Clark might falter. Despite this encouragement, Scheffler’s struggles began early, as he missed a par-saving putt on the first hole after his approach shot rolled off the green. Another bogey on the seventh hole further hindered his momentum. Although he briefly returned to one under par following a birdie on the 10th, he finished the round with a bogey and four consecutive pars.

Scheffler shared the tied-for-fourth spot with J.T. Poston and Keith Mitchell. His pursuit of history took a backseat to other storylines, including Sam Burns’ notable comeback attempt and Clark’s resilience despite some late-round difficulties. Though Scheffler’s final round was not as close a contest as his near-win in the 2022 U.S. Open, where he finished one stroke behind Matt Fitzpatrick, the tournament remained a winnable challenge going into the last day.

In the end, Clark’s steady play secured him the title, while Scheffler was left to reflect on a tournament filled with what-ifs and near misses on a day that otherwise held high expectations for the young champion.