Wyndham Clark hopes US Open win brings him a step closer to redemption

NEW YORK – Wyndham Clark captured his second US Open title at Shinnecock Hills on June 21, but concedes he still has a lot of work to do to win back the fans after causing serious damage in the Oakmont Country Club locker room at the 2025 event.

Clark (73) held on to beat fellow American Sam Burns (67) by one shot in a nerve-racking final round, after many fans left before the end of his third round and heckled him during the fourth.

South Korea’s Tom Kim (70) finished third, three shots behind the 32-year-old champion, who came into the final round with a six-stroke lead.

“New York didn’t really like me – I love you guys,” said Clark, who finished the tournament on four-under 276. “But, you know, I get it. Some of it is self-deserved and I did some unfortunate things last year that I really regret.”

His fiery temper saw him receive a ban from Oakmont for smashing lockers in a rage after missing the cut in 2025. At the PGA Championship the same year, he was criticised for angrily throwing his driver after a poor tee shot.

Spectators have made their feelings clear about the incidents, and Clark said he had to tune out some of the needling from fans at Shinnecock Hills.

“I was kind of making jokes about it with (caddie David Pelekoudas) where if we heard someone cheer for me, I’d go, ‘Oh, there’s one person that likes me’,” said the American, who also won the tournament in 2023.

“I’ve played now a Presidents Cup and Ryder Cup on foreign soil, and it kind of had that atmosphere a little bit.”

Clark has made no secret of the effort he has put into the mental side of his game, telling reporters he faced a long road back to regaining his composure.

“What happened at Oakmont was obviously the lowest point,” he said. “I just felt a lot of my career, world ranking, reputation, everything just dwindling. That’s a terrible feeling. I would say in that moment I definitely didn’t think I’d be here this year doing this.”

World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler praised playing partner Clark for defying New York’s hecklers as well as the formidable course to win his second US Open.

The 30-year-old settled for a share of fourth with fellow American J. T. Poston (67) and Keith Mitchell (70), firing a one-over 71 to finish on even-par 280, and had a front-row view of what his compatriot endured.

“The crowd was tough,” Scheffler said. “New Yorkers, they’re tough people.

“Sometimes it can get a little too much when balls are kind of going off greens and you start hearing cheers. That felt a bit much to me.”

While it was not the over-the-top abuse which Rory McIlroy experienced at the Ryder Cup in 2025 at nearby Bethpage Black, it was enough to offer Scheffler a glimpse of Clark’s character.

“Being in the arena is not for everybody,” he said. “It shows a lot about Wyndham, how he handled not only this golf course but I think the crowd today as well, and is a well-deserving champion.” REUTERS, AFP