GOLF: Wyndham Clark rises to No. 8 in world rankings after US Open

Wyndham Clark has returned to the top 10 of the Official World Golf Ranking after winning his second U.S. Open title in four years, marking a strong resurgence in his 2026 season.

Clark climbed 26 spots to No. 8 in the world rankings on Monday, one day after capturing the third major championship of the 2026 season at the U.S. Open. The victory reinforced his place among golf’s elite after a turbulent start to the year.

The win adds to Clark’s breakthrough at the 2023 U.S. Open, and he previously reached a career-high ranking of No. 3 in 2024. However, inconsistent form early in 2026 saw him drop as low as No. 75 in the world. He was still ranked outside the top 70 when he missed the cut at the PGA Championship.

Clark began his comeback with a win at the CJ Cup Byron Nelson outside Dallas, which lifted him to No. 45 in the rankings. He continued his upward trajectory with a third-place finish at the Memorial Tournament, a signature event featuring a strong international field, moving him further up to No. 37 before his U.S. Open triumph.

At the U.S. Open, held at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club, Clark secured a one-stroke victory over Sam Burns, despite entering the final round with a six-shot lead. Burns’ runner-up finish moved him up from No. 30 to No. 15 in the world rankings.

South Korea’s Tom Kim finished third after a strong late push to pressure Clark down the stretch. Kim, a three-time PGA Tour winner, has struggled with consistency in recent seasons, falling as low as No. 152 earlier in the year before rebounding to No. 64 following his U.S. Open performance.

Meanwhile, Bryson DeChambeau missed his third consecutive major cut in 2026 and slipped two spots to No. 34 in the rankings. Despite success on the LIV Golf circuit, his ranking points have been limited under the current system, which awards points only to top-10 finishers in eligible events.

— Field Level Media/Reuters