U.S. Open weekend storylines: Can anyone catch Wyn...

playWyndham Clark felt like a 'zombie' after quick turnaround at U.S. Open (2:07) SOUTHAMPTON, N.Y. -- After setting the 36-hole record for a U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club at 7 under, Wyndham Clark carries a four-stroke lead into the weekend. Will it be enough for Clark to hang on for his second U.S. Open title? There are several major champions within potential striking distance if Clark comes back to the field. Even Rory McIlroy, who had an up-and-down 1-over 71 in the second round and is seven strokes back, feels like he has a chance. "If there's a course where you feel like you still have a chance if you're seven back going into the weekend like I am, it's definitely this one," McIlroy said. Here's what to watch over the final two rounds of the 126th U.S. Open. Mark Schlabach: Given what went down in last year's U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club outside Pittsburgh, the only thing I'm certain about is there won't be many golf fans pulling for Clark to win this weekend. Last year, Clark posted consecutive 4-over 74s and made a bogey on his final hole to miss the cut by one. He took out his frustration on Oakmont Country Club's 121-year-old lockers, kicking two of them in. He was banned from the club until he paid for them to be repaired, made a donation to charity and underwent anger management counseling. Fair or not, Clark is still carrying that sin in the eyes of many golf fans. "I've gotten a lot of grief since last year, rightfully so," Clark said. "The thing that's unfortunate is that's not who I am, what happened last year. I'm hoping I can win back the fans that I had or some new fans because it was a terrible incident." It won't be easy. Clark came into this week's U.S. Open on a heater, having won the CJ Cup Byron Nelson on May 24 and then finishing solo third in the Memorial Tournament and tying for 11th in the RBC Canadian Open. After struggling for more than a year, he found his form again under swing coach Pat Coyner. Clark took advantage of the more benign conditions in the first round to card a 6-under 64. He followed that up with a 1-under 69. Wyndham Clark shot 64-69 in the first two rounds of the U.S. Open. Christian Petersen/Getty ImagesHis statistics weren't as good in Round 2 as Round 1. After gaining nearly four strokes on the greens Thursday, he gained about a half-stroke Friday. After gaining nearly three strokes on approach Thursday, he gained about two in the second round. Not that Friday's effort wasn't strong, but you have to wonder if he can keep up this pace for another 36 holes. Clark won the 2023 U.S. Open at Los Angeles Country Club, so he'll carry that confidence. He's 1-for-5 in closing a stroke-play tournament on the PGA Tour. "I feel like good things are going to happen, and I can continue to play good," Clark said. "You know, momentum is a huge thing in golf, and I feel like I have it right now. Just keep it going. Keep pushing that momentum ball down the hill." Paolo Uggetti: Everything about Shinnecock's history at this event tells us yes. When Retief Goosen won in 2004 he shot 4-under par for the week and won by two shots over Phil Mickelson. This has been a much more cautious week in terms of the United States Golf Association (USGA) setup so far, but everyone expects the weekend to get much tougher. Seven under is so much higher than anyone expected to be leading the tournament after 36 holes. Even Clark expected much higher scores. "My goals coming into this week was if I shot even par, I would hope I had a chance to win," Clark said. "Things changed a little bit with conditions ... I really felt like I could be in double digits, but you know, the great thing about that is I didn't feel like I had my best, and I still am leading as of right now. Hopefully I can bring my A game on the weekend." Clark's B game might be enough if he's able to steer the ship around even par the rest of the way. Even as Shinnecock gets tougher, it will present the chance for birdies, allowing big-name players behind Clark to have an opportunity to chase him down. The key around here, as it always is, is avoiding the big numbers, which will be lurking around every nook of the property come Saturday. Schlabach: In the past 30 U.S. Opens, the eventual champion was leading or within two strokes after 36 holes in all but three tournaments, according to Elias Sports Bureau. Webb Simpson was six strokes back after 36 holes when he won at Olympic Club in San Francisco in 2012. Matt Fitzpatrick was three behind when he captured his only major at The Country Club in Brookline, Massachusetts, in 2022. And Brooks Koepka was five back when he came from behind to win his second straight U.S. Open at Shinnecock in 2018. There's still a ton of golf to be played on Long Island this weekend. With big names like Xander Schauffele (3 under), Fitzpatrick (3 under), Collin Morikawa (2 under), Sam Burns (1 under) and Justin Thomas (1 under) still in contention, I would

U.S. Open weekend storylines: Can anyone catch Wyn...

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