U.S. Open: The only real opponent left for Wyndham Clark is Wyndham Clark

SOUTHAMPTON, N.Y. — The signs started popping up around Shinnecock Hills early Saturday, and so too did the hopes for tournament carnage: "HIGH WINDS EXPECTED / PLEASE TAKE PRECAUTIONS."

Wyndham Clark had ridden some exceptionally benign conditions to a four-stroke lead at the U.S. Open's halfway mark; could he hang on through more chaotic ones?

He did a hell of a lot more than that. On a day that started windy and turned calm, Clark started hot and turned nuclear, increasing his already formidable lead on the field from four strokes to six. At the same time, the rest of the field, overwhelmed by either the moment, the course, the wind, the leader, or all four, sputtered and floundered.

Only two players could even manage under-par rounds. And now, at 7-under, Clark is six shots clear of the field and 18 holes away from a second U.S.

Open victory in four years. The wind picked off player after player on Saturday. Nine players were under par after Friday's round; by the end of Saturday, five were — and all but Clark were at 1-under.

Carnage was everywhere: Matt Fitzpatrick bogeyed his first three holes …. Xander Schauffele double-bogeyed the 10th … Rory McIlroy blew up with five bogeys on the back nine.

So with the final pairings now set for U.S. Open Sunday, we ask …

can anyone catch Wyndham Clark? Let's run down the possibilities:Scottie Scheffler (-1)Stumbled out of the gate with two straight bogeys. Fired himself and the gallery up with some second-nine birdies:Can he catch Clark?

I mean, maybe, if Clark boots it. Strange as it sounds to say this about the No. 1 player in the world, but …

he's got to play better. A four-bogey round like he had Saturday ain't going to get it done, and he doesn't have the mojo he's brought to previous majors. "I'd rather be leading," Scheffler joked when asked about chasing Clark.

"I'll need a really nice round tomorrow if I'm going to try and catch Wyndham."Tom Kim (-1)Gave back three strokes in the first six holes, but stayed focu