Wyndham Clark is on a mission at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in Southampton, New York — not just to capture his second U.S. Open championship, but to rebuild his reputation after a notorious locker room incident last year left many fans questioning his character.
The 2023 U.S. Open champion destroyed a locker after missing the cut at last year’s tournament, a meltdown that resulted in Oakmont Country Club banning him from the property entirely.
Speaking to reporters in Southampton on Friday, Clark acknowledged the fallout from that moment. “I’ve gotten a lot of grief since last year, rightfully so. The thing that’s unfortunate is that’s not who I am, what happened last year,” he said.
Clark is putting together an impressive performance at the demanding Shinnecock course, carding a seven-under par through two rounds. He credited work with a swing coach for helping him regain his confidence and form.
“I’m hoping I can win back the fans that I had or some new fans because it was a terrible incident. I really feel like I can show people that I’m fun and outgoing, I’m fierce, competitive, love the game, respect the game, and I just had a bad moment. Hopefully I can win those people back,” Clark said.
The American golfer has shown steady results on the PGA Tour this season, recording two top-five finishes including a victory at the CJ Cup Byron Nelson.
Reflecting on the highs and lows of his career, Clark put it in perspective. “I was on top of the world in my game at least when I won the U.S. Open and then had some good years. Then next thing you know, I’m apologising for breaking a locker,” he told reporters.
“With the mental game there’s ebbs and flows. If you think of it as climbing Everest, sometimes you go up, sometimes you have to go down to go back up,” he added.
