️ Updates from the final round’s play at Shinnecock Hills
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Joaquin Niemann might be the one to take advantage of the relatively benign conditions. Out in 33, the Chilean, much touted as a major champion in waiting, has subsequently birdied 10 and now 13 to move to four under for his round, and +1 overall. He’ll be cursing his opening round of 78, and that toddler’s tanty on the par-four 6th, at which he took 11 strokes. A septuple bogey! Two tee shots out of bounds, a back-and-forth with the referee in a doomed attempt to get relief from fire ants in the fescue, and a two-shot penalty for a coptered club. Oh Joaquin! He’s currently +1 for the tournament, and in theory, if we factor out the butterfly effect and linear nature of history, would now be just one off the pace sans meltdown. A lesson for all you kids out there: keep your cool, it pays in the long run. (Though it is fun to launch a club in a fit of pique. Well, it is. It might not be right but it is. I don’t write the rules.)
Ludvig Åberg birdies the last for a final round of 66. Another major championship of what-ifs for the young Swede, who it’s easy to forget is still only making his 11th major-championship appearance this week. He ends the week at +3 and is the new clubhouse leader. Some more proof that there’s a score out there for the chasing pack. Only problem being, it’s also out there for Wyndham Clark, and look at the 64 he shot on Thursday when the wind was down.