Wyndham Clark holds a six-stroke lead heading into the final round of the US Open at Shinnecock Hills, buoyed by a new mindset and his victory in last year’s tournament. Clark carded a level-par 70 in Sunday’s third round, finishing seven under overall at 203 despite a late bogey on the par-five 18th after eagling the 16th hole.

“I made some dumb mistakes with wedges, which I normally don’t do, and a couple of bad three-putts,” Clark acknowledged. “Tomorrow is going to be a new challenge. There’s going to be some ups and downs. I’m really hoping I kind of bring my A-game finally, just sharper. If I can have my game, then I really love the opportunity.”

The 30-year-old American will begin the final round alongside Scottie Scheffler, the current world number one and a four-time major champion who is aiming to complete a career grand slam with a victory. Scheffler, also American, is positioned four shots back at 209.

Clark described the prospect of competing against Scheffler on a challenging course in a major championship as a “dream come true.” He acknowledged Scheffler’s status: “Scottie is the best player in the world and he’s going to play probably really good. He always does, but it’s nice to have a six-shot lead on him.”

Historically, no player has lost a major tournament after holding a lead of six or more strokes going into the final round, with the notable exception of Australian Greg Norman at the 1996 Masters.

Tied with Scheffler at 209 were Americans Sam Stevens and Sahith Theegala, the latter securing a tap-in birdie on the 18th as his sole birdie of the day. South Korean Tom Kim, who began his round with three early bogeys, carded a 72 to remain in contention.

As the competition moves into its final day at Shinnecock Hills—known for its demanding layout and windy conditions—Clark will seek to leverage his sizeable cushion and mental resilience to defend his title and claim back-to-back major championships.