Despite finishing back in pack, U.S. Open champ still living a dream
CROMWELL, Conn. — Wyndham Clark’s exit from the Travelers Championship on Sunday was in stark contrast to his exit from Los Angeles Country Club a week earlier — much quieter and with a lot less fanfare.
Clark didn’t leave TPC River Highlands the winner of the golf tournament the way he did LACC as the U.S. Open champion, but he left a winner nonetheless.
As he walked up to the 18th green Sunday — his 72nd hole of the tournament — to assess what would be his 268th and final shot of the week, the on-course PA announcer introduced him as, “U.S. Open champion Wyndham Clark.’’
That was the same announcement Clark heard on the first hole of Thursday’s opening round, and the power of that newly earned title nearly buckled his legs.
“I was like, ‘Oh man,’ and I got a little bit of nerves,’’ Clark told The Post Sunday during a conversation about his week after. “That’s something that I’m going to have for the rest of my life, so that’s really neat. It’s never going to get old, that’s for sure.’’
You could have excused Clark for not showing up this week, opting to take some time off to soak in the greatest accomplishment of his golfing life.
But he showed up, kept his commitment.
You could have excused Clark for missing the cut and being back home in Arizona by late Friday. But he made the cut.
You could have excused Clark for mailing it in, posting an indifferent score and getting out of Dodge as quickly as possible.
But he grinded all week, finished a respectable 12-under for the tournament, closed with a 4-under 66 that included making that birdie putt on 18 after he was warmly introduced one final time for the week as the U.S. Open champ.
You could excuse Clark if his feet aren’t yet back on the ground after his life-altering week in LA. Because they aren’t.
“It hasn’t hit me yet,’’ Clark said. “I’m still kind of on the high.’’
The week after a major championship, with the mental and physical toll it takes on players, is never easy. Particularly for the winner. The struggle is real.
“I was hung over for a few days,’’ Clark said. “I think most people in my position would have not come to this event, but this tournament, the Travelers, gave me my first sponsors invite and I felt obligated to come play in it. And, I like this course.’’
Clark is headed for Europe for two weeks of rest and relaxation before he tees it up again at the Scottish Open and then the British Open at Hoylake next month.
After the bender with family and friends that took place following his U.S. Open victory that included drinking champagne, beer and tequila out of the U.S. Open trophy and staying out until after 3 a.m., Clark did a media blitz in New York City on Tuesday, appearing on the “Today” show,” “Good Morning America,” Fox News and ESPN, before coming to Connecticut to return to his day job.
Exhausted or exhilarated? “I’m pretty tired,’’ Clark said. Since his win, Clark has been overwhelmed by the support he’s received from fans of his story, with the death of his mother, Lise, as a result of breast cancer in 2013 knocking him off his axis for a few years, sending him into an angry state of depression.
She was the one who got him into golf, drove him to tournaments and encouraged him to be great, her mantra for him being “play big.’’
“It’s been amazing that so many people have commented on it and said that I’ve touched them, they cried or loved the story,’’ Clark said. “Ultimately, that’s what I want to do with my platform — to do the ‘Play Big’ thing and have a foundation and raise a bunch of money and help people with cancer.’’
Clark said he hasn’t started the foundation, but added, “It’s in the works.’’
“If you told me this would’ve happened — that I would be here eight, 10 years ago — I wouldn’t have believed you because I was in such a tough spot after losing my mom,’’ Clark said. “But she knew something. She told me to ‘play big’ and she said, ‘You have such a great platform and be able to show people who you are both on and off the golf course and inspire young kids.’
“I always used to say, ‘Yeah mom, that’s going to happen,’ but maybe I didn’t fully believe it. Now I’m here and I’m hoping that’s exactly what it does.’’
Clark’s mother always told him he was playing for something bigger than himself, and he is. Even when he’s not winning tournaments, the U.S. Open champion is representing.