Wyndham Clark leads evening push from major big guns

Clark led a trio of major winners to put themselves into the thick of the hunt on Thursday afternoon.

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, FLORIDA - MARCH 14: Wyndham Clark of the United States plays his shot from the 18th tee during the first round of THE PLAYERS Championship on the Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass on March 14, 2024 in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

Late Thursday evening, a name Rory McIlroy won’t be happy to see pushed his way into a three-way share of the first-round lead – Wyndham Clark.

Clark, who clipped a heartbroken McIlroy by a shot in last year’s U.S. Open at Los Angeles Country Club, rode a heater of three late birdies on 15, 16 and 17 to catch morning leaders McIlroy and Xander Schauffele with a 7-under 65 on the Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass.