Wyndham Clark BMW Sunday: 5-Shot Lead After 65

Wyndham Clark BMW Sunday is a five-shot lead at 17-under 193. Clark shot a 5-under 65 on Saturday at Bellerive after a double bogey on the first hole, the Associated Press and Golf Digest both had it, and he takes five shots on Rory McIlroy and Patrick Cantlay (both 12 under) into the final round of the BMW Championship. He made five birdies and an eagle in an eight-hole stretch, then bogeyed 18. Golf Digest had him converting 139 feet of putts for six birdies and an eagle on the round.

He had been bogey-free through 36 holes. Then No. 1: bunker, rough, short of the green, miss from 7 feet, double bogey, the AP wrote. His caddie told him to embrace it. Clark found another gear. "I just have to keep doing what I'm doing," Clark said, per Golf Digest. "If I shoot even par, one of the guys closest has to shoot 65. If the scores are low, then I should be able to shoot a good one, too."

Wyndham Clark BMW Sunday board: 65, 17 under, five clear

Gary Woodland's 15-foot birdie on 7 tied them. Clark answered from 10 feet. That started the run. He hit a 5-wood to 12 feet for eagle on the par-5 8th, holed 30 feet on 10, 15 feet on 11, and two from about 12 feet on 13 and 14, the AP sequenced. Five birdies and an eagle from No. 7 through 14. A bunker off the 18th tee led to the closing bogey. The 65 still matched the low round of the day. McIlroy also shot 65. Cantlay shot 66.

McIlroy birdied three of his last four and saved par from a bunker on 18. Cantlay birdied 18. They sit at 12-under 198. Woodland (70) and Chris Gotterup (68) are 11 under. Collin Morikawa is 10 under. J.J. Spaun shot 72 and dropped to 8 under. Scottie Scheffler shot 68 to 5 under. It is the second time this year Clark has taken at least a five-shot lead into Sunday. He led the U.S. Open by six and won by one.

McIlroy and Cantlay, and what Sunday can still do

Rory McIlroy's Saturday 65 was three late birdies after a rusty week in Memphis. He told Golf Digest Bellerive lets you be aggressive. Patrick Cantlay's BMW Championship climb is the FedEx Cup math: he started the week 43rd and needs the top 30 for East Lake. A high finish Sunday is the ticket. Wyndham Clark's 36-hole lead was one shot. The 54-hole lead is five. Different page.

Clark is 32, the reigning U.S. Open champion, and chasing a Presidents Cup automatic berth. He entered the week seventh in that standing. "I always sleep good. But it's more the angst when you wake up," he told Golf Digest. "You wake up and you have that little pit in your stomach, you're excited to go play, and you wish you were teeing off right as you wake up so you didn't have to think about it. But it's also fun." Sunday at Bellerive, par 70. Five shots. McIlroy in the last group.

Wyndham Clark BMW Sunday FAQ

What is Wyndham Clark's lead at the BMW Championship? Five shots at 17-under 193 after a 65, per Golf Digest, the Associated Press, and the PGA Tour. Rory McIlroy and Patrick Cantlay are tied for second at 12 under.

Did Wyndham Clark double bogey the first hole Saturday? Yes. The AP said he went bunker, rough, short of the green, and missed from 7 feet. He then made five birdies and an eagle in an eight-hole stretch and still shot 65.

How many feet of putts did Wyndham Clark make? 139 feet, Golf Digest reported, with six birdies and an eagle on the round. He bogeyed the 18th after a tee shot in the bunker.