Wyndham Clark mimicked the survival instincts of Houdini at times during a windy third round of the 126th US Open at Shinnecock Hills on Long Island. Ultimately, though, he outweighed the need for such scrambling with some superb shotmaking in fashioning a level-par 70 for a 54-holes total of seven-under-par 203 that gave him a commanding six strokes lead over his pursuers, among them world number one Scottie Scheffler.The 32-year-old American first lifted the famous old trophy when winning at Los Angeles Country Club in 2023 when he finished one ahead of Rory McIlroy. And he took huge strides towards repeating the feat wire-to-wire on the other side of the country in New York, establishing a six-shot advantage over a quartet of players – Scheffler, Sahith Theegala, Tom Kim and Sam Stevens – headed into the final round.Only two players managed to post sub-par rounds on a day when a strong wind blew – lessening in strength for the later tee-times – with Scheffler’s 69 for 209 moving him up to tied-second, while Emiliano Grillo’s 67 for 210 leapfrogged him up to tied-sixth.However, it was Clark – despite a late stumble, bogeying the last from four feet on a crusty green – who was the commander in chief of the links.Clark started with a four shots lead and, producing some masterful acts of scrambling – on the sixth, seventh, ninth, 10th, 11th and 13th – in saving pars each time, to the point of kissing his putter, before an eagle on the par-5 16th elevated him clearer of the field to a six-stroke lead and possibly being the spoilsport to Scheffler’s bid to complete the career Grand Slam on his 30th birthday.McIlroy’s quest looked to be a forlorn one, after another tough homeward run, as the Northern Irishman’s 73 for 213 left him cast adrift in tied-17th, 10 shots behind the leader.McIlroy, the Masters champion, had moved ominously into contention with a run of three straight birdies on the front nine – birdieing the fifth, sixth (a putt from 66 feet) and seventh – to turn in 33. But he stumbled badly on the way home with five bogeys in accumulating 40 strokes for a 73, his plight epitomised by his play of the 18th where a poor wedge approach found fescue and he could only chip across the green and then pitch back again towards the flag in closing with a bogey five.Scheffler missed a birdie putt from six feet on the 18th hole of his third round with the eyes of those gathered in the grandstands and the mounds on the world number one. Yet, even with that missed opportunity, there remained the sense that the stars were aligning in his bid to add the US Open to his trophy cabinet.Rory McIlroy putts on the second green during the third round of the US Open at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in Southampton, New York. Photograph: Mike Mulholland/Getty Images A win on this famed links at Shinnecock Hills on the southern shoreline of Long Island would enable Scheffler to become the seventh player to join the exclusive Grand Slam club of Major champions. Tempting fate, perhaps?But Scheffler, too, could finally entertain such a scenario, even if one cast in the role of pursuer with Clark very much in control of his own destiny.“I think it’s appropriate to understand what’s at stake,” admitted Scheffler, whose win in The Open at Royal Portrush last July always meant his own national open would be circled in the calendar as a first chance to complete the career Grand Slam.“I’ve worked really hard for a long time to have a chance to win golf tournaments and to win Major championships. Yeah, I think understanding the moment and giving it your best shot I think is all part of the process. We want to be in these positions. This is why we practice and play, to have the opportunity to win golf tournaments, and that’s what tomorrow is.”While Scheffler’s eyes were focused on chasing down Clark, with the two men paired together for the final round, the initiative remained very much with the man on top of the leaderboard.Only Tiger Woods, who had a lead of 10 strokes after 54 holes at Pebble Beach in 2000, and McIlroy, who led by eight at Congressional in 2011, have held larger leads through three rounds, and both of course went on to comfortable wins.If those in pursuit wished to find some hope, it would be the act of Arnold Palmer in coming from seven strokes behind at Cherry Hills to win the 1960 US Open.Clark’s to lose rather than for others to win, it would seem.