Scottish Open golfer explains why he smashed up locker-room
Clark opens up on Oakmont shame and how he has been greeted by fans in home of golf
Scottish golf fans don’t take bad behavior lightly and smashing up a locker-room in a pique of anger is certainly bad behaviour. But, having apologised for causing damage to the lockers inside the Oakmont clubhouse during last month’s US Open, Wyndham Clark appears to have been forgiven in the sport’s cradle.
“No, they’ve been great,” declared the American, speaking after moving into contention in the Genesis Scottish Open, in reply to being asked how Scottish fans, widely acknowledged as the most knowledgeable in the game, had treated him this week. “I’ve been pleased with that. I’ve received a lot of kickback, but this week they’ve been great.”
Having already smashed his own sponsor’s board when throwing his driver in disgust during the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow in May, it was clear that the 2023 US Open champion was not in a good head space when he stooped to his act of vandalism in the season’s third major.
In fairness, he’d already apologised but, nonetheless, Clark was happy to do so again after taking route 66 at The Renaissance Club in East Lothian. “Yeah, I mean, I made a mistake in a moment of rage with, you know, a bad year and everything coming together and it just was more than anything a good wake-up call for me to say: ‘Hey, you know what, let’s get back on track and things aren’t that bad’,” he told a small group of Scottish golf writers.
“I live a great life and I’m not that far off from playing good golf, so I feel like I’ve turned a page and we’re now maybe on the right track of playing some good golf.”
Bob MacIntyre, who beat Clark in the last-day singles in the 2023 Ryder Cup in Rome, is working hard in his bid to channel passion in the right way and Clark acknowledged the importance of that because it can be what makes a player.
“Oh, 100 per cent,” he added in an honest chat. “A lot of guys have a lot of passion out there and I’m definitely one of them, so I’m not going to ever take that away. Just maybe not channeling it into lockers is probably better.”
Clark stays relaxed
Clark, who sits on nine under heading into the last day on the East Lothian coast, has recorded top-25 finishes in his three previous appearances in this event, tying for tenth behind MacIntyre 12 months ago.
“I would just say probably just my kind of mood and mindset just being really relaxed,” he said of it seeming he’s a long way from how he felt in Pennsylvania compared to this week. “I haven’t had a great year, but, playing with Scottie [Scheffler], I was really relaxed and it turned into a good round.
“It’s a bummer finishing with a bogey,” he added of being unable to get up and down from the left side of the green, “but that happens. I made a lot of birdies and made a lot of good putts and so, hopefully, I can roll that into tomorrow.”
What would it mean to come out on top? “Massive,” he declared. “I mean, I haven’t won outside the US and also I haven’t had a good year, so this would mean a lot. There’s a lot at stake every year and every win is big so I would love it.”
Many people say it shows a complete golfer to win on Scottish soil and Clark admitted: “Yeah, I don’t disagree. You have to really have every part of the game. I think some golf in the States you can hide some of your weaknesses, but here it exposes everything.”
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