“Rubbish,” “Trash,” “Overrated,” “He stinks,” and “Ought to’ve been Bryson DeChambeau” are simply lots of the diatribes Wyndham Clark acquired on-line after Thursday’s opening spherical on the Olympics, a 4-over 75 wherein he discovered the water early and infrequently.
After his brutal begin in Paris, he might have mailed it in. In any case, solely the highest three finishers obtain a prize. However Clark fought again, capturing 15-under-par over the ultimate 54 holes to complete in a tie for 14th—a far cry from the place he sat on Thursday, nearly in useless final. Clark additionally shot back-to-back 6-under 65s over the weekend.
Solely Scottie Scheffler, who gained the gold, matched that 15-under whole over the ultimate three rounds, so if not for that shaky first spherical, Clark might have competed for a medal.
“I simply began out poorly after which missed some putts, after which it simply appeared like nothing went proper the primary day,” Clark assessed after Sunday’s last spherical.
“After which performed actually properly the second day, as nicely, simply sadly completed with a double. However then, these final two days have been actually good type, yeah. Yeah, I performed actually good golf. The primary 9 holes have been horrible [on Thursday], and one dangerous 18th gap [on Friday], and issues is likely to be a bit of completely different.”
Clark garnered the respect and admiration of many for his sturdy end, and the golf followers who lambasted him after Thursday’s spherical owe him an apology. However the 2023 U.S. Open winner didn’t take note of any of the projectiles directed his means.
“I didn’t hear any of that, however I knew another stuff. I believe a few of it wasn’t very justified as a result of, you already know, I used to be the third-highest-ranked participant for the U.S. to come back right here. Yeah, poor begin,” Clark stated.
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“This may very well be a once-in-a-lifetime alternative, and I could by no means get that chance once more to look at occasions, spend time within the [Olympic] Village, and get the total expertise. So, I wished to verify I did every part proper. I don’t remorse something I did. As soon as I acquired to Tuesday, I shut every part down and was able to go. I performed actually good golf for 60 holes. I simply had 9 dangerous holes.”
Regardless of the troublesome nature of this competitors, Clark nonetheless had an incredible week. He completed because the third-highest-ranked American participant at 11-under-par for the championship, one stroke behind Xander Schauffele, who held a share of the 54-hole lead.
“To complete first, second, or third in any event may be very laborious, and when these are the one three locations that really obtain something, I believe it sort of adjustments your expectations a bit of bit as a result of golf, it’s actually laborious to time every part completely each single week and particularly for one week,” Clark stated.
“I wished to get pleasure from each minute and I felt like I had, and so yeah, it’s been an incredible week for me.”
It’s no secret that Clark has had a wholesome dose of struggles all through 2024, although he at the moment sits fifth within the FedEx Cup standings. He missed the reduce at Augusta Nationwide, Valhalla, and Royal Troon. He tied for 56th at Pinehurst No. 2 because the reigning U.S. Open champion, wanting like a shell of himself from the Los Angeles Nation Membership the yr earlier than. But, Clark has had glimpses of success this yr, notably at Pebble Seashore, the place he shot a last spherical 60 to win the rain-shortened AT&T Pebble Seashore Professional-Am. He additionally has 5 top-10s since that victory in February, together with a pair of runner-up finishes on the Arnold Palmer Invitational and The Gamers Championship.
However Clark injured himself within the fitness center in late March forward of the Texas Youngsters’s Houston Open, and his damage has lingered ever since. That has undoubtedly contributed to his inconsistency over the previous few months, however Clark nonetheless rightfully made Group USA.
When qualifying concluded after the U.S. Open, Clark was the fifth-ranked participant on the earth and the third-highest American. He could not have seemed the half within the majors, however he has nonetheless had a formidable 18-month interval, profitable elite tournaments at Quail Hole, LACC, and Pebble Seashore.
An enormous cause why he had success in these occasions—and some others—is as a result of he acquired off to a robust begin.
“I’ve really been struggling loads with my begins, and it’s been powerful to beat, particularly the majors. I began so poorly, after which as I acquired to the again 9 on Friday and I began taking part in actually good golf, I barely missed the reduce, and a few of the cuts that I did make, then I back-doored into the highest 10,” Clark defined.
“So beginning poorly, that’s one thing I’ve actually set to work on; a minimum of simply get out of the gates considerably strong. I really feel like I can play nicely on the weekend.”
That completely summarizes Clark’s play at Le Golf Nationwide this previous week.
However the actuality of 72-hole stroke play occasions is that you just can not win a golf event on Thursday, however you possibly can actually lose it. Clark misplaced it on Thursday along with his opening 4-over 75, however he didn’t lose anybody’s respect within the following three rounds. As an alternative, he ought to have gained some as a result of his valiant efforts on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday solely rivaled that of Scheffler—the very best participant on the earth.
So to these of you that slammed Clark after day one, you owe him an apology.
Jack Milko is a golf employees author for SB Nation’s Taking part in By means of. You should definitely try @_PlayingThrough for extra golf protection. You possibly can comply with him on Twitter @jack_milko as nicely.
