Clark Moves To Top Of BMW Championship Leaderboard At Bellerive

Wyndham Clark grabbed the lead on day two at Bellerive

Wyndham Clark leads BMW Championship as 'Squirrely' Rory McIlroy stays in contention.

Wyndham Clark takes solo BMW championship lead with bogey-free 64...

Wyndham Clark took the solo lead at the BMW Championship on Friday, firing a bogey-free 6-under 64 for the second straight day. Rory McIlroy was part of the group chasing him at the second event of the PGA Tour's FedEx Cup playoffs.  

One of five players tied for the lead overnight, Clark broke the tie with a birdie at 17 after just missing an eagle putt from distance on the uphill green at Bellerive Country Club in St. Louis, Missouri.  

The 32-year-old capped his round with a routine par from a fairway bunker on 18, completing his first bogey-free opening 36 holes on the PGA Tour.  

“Even though I missed some more fairways today, the misses were in good spots,” said Clark.

“I feel like my putter still hasn't gotten hot yet, so it would be nice if it does on the weekend. But I played really good, solid golf.”

Clark drained a 21-foot birdie putt on 14. He had already picked up birdies at the 4th, 6th, 8th and 10th thanks to sharp approach shots.  

For the first time in his career, @Wyndham_Clark is bogey-free thru 36 holes 😮

In his 210th start, he leads @BMWChamps. pic.twitter.com/QCGOpYeF5b

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) August 21, 2026

The American, a two-time U.S. Open champion after his June win, reached the halfway point at 12-under. That put him one shot ahead of former U.S. Open winner Gary Woodland, who closed with back-to-back birdies despite some errant drives.  

“I lost it a little bit on the back nine, lost some shots to the right, and I was able to adjust, kind of take a step back,” said Woodland.

“I checked my grip and hit four really great shots coming in on 17, 18, so proud of the adjustment I made there.”

JJ Spaun, another overnight co-leader, opened with four straight birdies on a hot front nine to build a big lead early.  

He explained the early run by saying, “Wasn't really thinking much. Was kind of in a nice flow mentally and technically with my game.”

The weekend awaits @BMWChamps.

Wyndham Clark sits atop the leaderboard heading into Saturday.

(In partnership with @Rolex) pic.twitter.com/L3dWBPaFEL

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) August 21, 2026

Spaun hit a rough patch with three bogeys on the back nine, which let the field back in. He recovered with a birdie on the last to shoot 66 and sit in third, two shots behind Clark.  

“That was a nice way to end the day. Kind of hit a little rough patch on 14, 15 with a poor 3-putt and a poor second shot on 14. But that's golf, it happens.”

“I've always thought really tough courses fit my game... When fairways and greens in (regulation) are a premium, that's kind of where I do well, like a US Open,” added Spaun, who won that major last year.

‘Squirrely’ McIlroy Hangs On At Bellerive

Chris Gotterup and South Korea's Im Sung-jae are one shot further back in a tie for fifth. Michael Thorbjornsen and Patrick Cantlay sit next at 8-under.  

Overnight co-leader Rory McIlroy stayed within reach as well. A 69 has him tied for eighth, five shots off Clark's lead.  

The Northern Irishman is working to find his rhythm after finishing tied for 66th at last week's St. Jude Championship in Memphis.  

He kept his round together on the 2nd, making par from an awkward lie on the lakeside rocks after a wayward approach. It was one of 15 pars on the day.

“Today I hit some decent iron shots but was a little more squirrely off the tee,” said the six-time major winner.

On the range with @McIlroyRory.

It just sounds different. pic.twitter.com/0X0dwxXd4W

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) August 21, 2026

World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler fought through illness to rebound from a rough opening round with a 65. He was coming off a dominant win in Memphis last week.  

Scheffler made five birdies on the back nine to get back to 3-under for the tournament.  

“I'm a ways back, but I'm not out of it by any means,” said Scheffler, who admitted he had been struggling with an unspecified illness.

“I wasn't feeling 100% yesterday. I'm still not feeling 100 per cent today. So I'll go home, get some rest.“