Clark pulls away for 5-shot lead at Bellerive over Rory McIlroy and Cantlay

Wyndham Clark was doing everything right until it all went wrong at the BMW Championship. Just not for long. Bogey-free through 36 holes, he went from the bunker left of the fairway to the right rough on the opening hole at Bellerive. He came up short of the green, chipped to 7 feet and missed the putt, taking a double bogey that cost him the lead.

The conversation on the second tee included a few choice words and a message from his caddie to embrace the challenge and move on. Clark wound up finding another gear. He had five birdies in an eight-hole stretch and turned a bad start into a big lead.

Even closing with a bogey, Clark had a 5-under 65 and a five-shot lead.

“Hit a bad shot on 2, but then really made a nice recovery and then got into a nice groove after that,” Clark said.

It was the second time this year Clark has led by at least five shots going into the final round. He had a six-shot advantage at the U.S. Open and held on to win by one for his second major.

Rory McIlroy ran off three straight birdies late in the round and saved par from a bunker on the 18th for a 65. Patrick Cantlay birdied the 18th for a 66. They were tied for second, a position far more relevant to Cantlay. He is at No. 43 in the FedEx Cup and needs a high finish to be among the top 30 who advance to the FedEx Cup finale next week in Atlanta.

“That’s a lot to make up,” McIlroy said of his deficit. “But if I focus on myself, try to shoot a good score - I shot a 64 and a 65 this week - shoot something similar tomorrow, you never know.”

Gary Woodland, trying to cap off his remarkable year with a return to the Tour Championship, only managed two birdies in a round of 70. He was six shots behind, perhaps too far back to challenge Clark but high enough to extend his season another week. He was tied with Chris Gotterup (68).