Wyndham Clark was recognized for his status as a villain among many golf fans after his victory at the 2026 US Open on Sunday, June 21.
“Man, they really didn’t want me to win,” Clark, 32, told reporters. “It’s rare in an Open Championship or a big thing that your fans are down or cheering for a bad shot. I mean, that was tough, but sometimes being down is good.”
The Colorado native was relentless all weekend, with one fan even walking off the course at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in Southampton, New York, for hitting Clark.
Clark played Sunday’s final round and a fan favorite Scottie Schefflerwho was trying to complete a career Grand Slam.
“I understand. They wanted a Scottie,” Clark said. “Grand Slams only happen a few times. You’ll get it. You’re the best player in the world. But today, it’s my day.”
Clark explained that he used some of the fans’ vitriol to spur him on to victory, the same way he did when he won his first US Open title in 2023.
“Whenever someone said something negative to me, I changed it to something positive,” Clark said.
He added, “It was tough but I’m proud that I fought. I mean things could have gone away from me. I stood strong. I would have liked to win more, but as long as you win, it doesn’t matter.”
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Clark entered Sunday’s final round with a six-stroke lead but was forced to hold on for a one-stroke victory after his lead slipped on a dramatic day at Shinnecock.
Much of the hate directed at Clark stems from an infamous incident at last year’s US Open, when he destroyed two lockers at Oakmont Country Club after missing the cut. Clark was banned from the group until he paid reparations and was required to attend anger management classes.
“After what happened in Oakmont it was obviously the lowest point,” Clark said Sunday. “Maybe people didn’t see what happened after that. But, you know, it was a really hard two, three days for me. I was in a dark place. I didn’t go out much. It was a really bad, dark place.”
He added, “At that moment, I just felt a lot of my work—the world class, the reputation, everything—was diminishing. It’s a terrible feeling.”
