The Open 2025: Wyndham Clark ban blow, no 'gimmick' and Rose raves about Rory
The latest from Northern Ireland ahead of the season’s final men’s major
Our golf correspondent reports from the media centre and also digs out some stories behind the scenes at Royal Portrush.
Wyndham Clark banned by Oakmont over locker damage
Wyndham Clark, the 2023 US Open champion, has been banned by Oakmont Country Club after damaging lockers in a fit of pique during last month’s US Open.
The prestigious Pennsylvania club has also insisted the American undergoes anger management help if he wants to be allowed back there in the future.
Speaking last week at the Genesis Scottish Open, Clark said: “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’.
“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.”
New winner-takes-all qualifier will not be ‘gimmicky’
A new winner-takes-all qualifier at next year’s 154th Open at Royal Birkdale is not a “gimmick”, according to The R&A CEO.
“Obviously,” said Mark Darbon, laughing in reply to being asked by The Scotsman if he didn’t agree with such a description for the shoot-out, which is set to involve 12 players.
“We were always looking to evolve the proposition here at The Open Championship and we take player feedback,” he added. “We invest a lot in ensuring that we get spectator and broadcaster feedback and we think it's a great addition to the week.
“What I would say about that last-chance qualifier is it will absolutely be true to our broad principles around exemptions and qualifications for The Open. “Everyone who hits their first tee shot here has earned the right to be here, so it will not be staged, to use your term, in a gimmicky fashion. It will be robust in its approach.”
Justin Rose raves about local ‘legend’ Rory McIlroy
Justin Rose is hoping it is payback time for him this week in Rory McIlroy’s home patch after losing out to the Northern Irishman in play-off in The Masters in April.
“Listen, Rory is obviously a local hero around here and rightly so. He has been probably since he shot 61 here as a kid,” said the Englishman of his Ryder Cup team-mate.
"The legend around him in these parts has been growing for a long, long time. Obviously he’s going to be incredibly well supported this week.”
Rose, last year’s runner-up at Royal Troon, added of McIlroy completing his career grand slam: “I think being a part of that story has made people very excited and the feedback of that has been positive. I’m ready to move on for sure because second is second place, isn’t it?
"It’s a tough loss. But, at the same time, it’s still more evidence that when I get things right, I’m still competitive and can still bring it.
J.J. Spaun will not lose sight of US Open trophy
Xander Schauffele may have admitted that he doesn’t know where his 2021 Olympic gold medal is but J.J. Spaun will never lose sight of the US Open trophy over the next 12 months.
“It is kind of a weird thing,” admitted the Oakmont winner last month. “You get the trophy and you admire it for a day or two, and it just sits there or maybe it goes into a bank vault.
“I'm going to have mine on display. I have a little trophy case in our main living room. It's got a Korn Ferry one, a Canadian Tour one, my Valero Texas Open one, and the US Open one now - right in the middle!”
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