U.S. Open golf tournament | Clark holds off McIlroy to win his first Major title

Clark defeated McIlroy to win U.S. Open golf and his first Major title

In the city of stars, Wyndham Clark had his own script in mind in the U.S. Open.

In front of him was Rory McIlroy, one of golf's biggest talents who looked ready to end his perplexing nine-year drought in the majors. Next to him in the final group Sunday was Rickie Fowler, a Southern California native who returned from a three-year slump and was poised to finally win his first major.

Clark carried a message from his late mother — “Play big,” she always told him — and the belief he could compete with anyone on any stage.

No stage was bigger than a U.S. Open on the edge of Beverly Hills. That's where Clark delivered clutch saves, a signature shot that gave him control and the steady nerves to hold off McIlroy and become a major champion.

“I feel like I belong on this stage,” Clark said after closing with an even-par 70 for a one-shot victory over McIlroy. “Even two, three years ago when people didn’t know who I was, I felt like I could still play and compete against the best players in the world.”

He won in only his seventh start in a major — his previous best was a tie for 75th — and it came six weeks after he captured his first PGA Tour title at Quail Hollow.

“It's gone faster than I thought as far as just starting to do some stuff mentally that I’ve never done before, but I feel like I’m one of the best players in the world,” Clark said “Obviously this just shows what I believe can happen.”