Sam Burns vs. Wyndham Clark

Clark won the US Open last week and rode his putter to that title — it was one of the better putting performances of the summer. But TPC River Highlands is a different test, and there's a documented problem when his game meets a shorter, positional Pete Dye layout. This course forces players to club down off the tee on multiple holes and win with irons and short game, which strips away the driver advantage that has been his engine all season. On comparable shorter courses, his strokes-gained numbers have been in negative territory, the reverse of what you need entering a venue like this. Burns, meanwhile, just finished one shot behind Clark at Shinnecock and looks to be in the best sustained form of his season. He's in the top 12 in this field in strokes gained on approach, his putter is a genuine weapon, and he's posted four top-10 finishes in 2026. The better course fit is Burns. Take him.