Wyndham Clark addresses backlash at U.S. Open

When Wyndham Clark sank a abbreviated putt to triumph his 2nd U.S. Open connected Sunday, the assemblage astatine Shinnecock Hills connected Long Island yet swung successful his favor.

Most of the weekend, helium was goaded and jeered by onlookers who hadn't yet forgiven him for an incidental astatine past year's U.S. Open, erstwhile helium damaged 2 lockers successful an outburst astatine Pittsburgh's Oakmont Country Club aft missing the cut.

"It was an unfortunate happening I did a twelvemonth agone astatine the U.S. Open, and you know, it's brought immoderate scrutiny to me," Clark said. "It's astonishing what a twelvemonth tin do, right? And this is benignant of my redemption tour, and hopefully I tin triumph backmost the fans."

Though helium wasn't wholly amazed by the archetypal backlash, helium was bewildered astatine however it carried into this year.

"I desecrated a precise humanities locker room, and that is unacceptable," helium added. "But I'm amazed astatine the absorption I got astatine this U.S. Open. I knew I'd perceive immoderate chirps, but I didn't deliberation radical would cheer against me."

Wyndham Clark of the United States celebrates triumph with the trophy aft the last circular of the 126th U.S. Open astatine Shinnecock Hills Golf Club, Southampton, N.Y., June 21, 2026. Erick W. Rasco/Sports Illustrated via Getty Images

Clark wasn't unprepared for the reaction, telling CBS News helium spoke to his sports scientist and came up with a plan. 

"Anytime I heard thing negative, I would regenerate it with thing affirmative — whether it's astir myself, astir my play oregon adjacent conscionable thing — look astir and grin astatine idiosyncratic and conscionable accidental 'All right, I'm going to triumph this with kindness and love.'"

Clark was jeered much arsenic his playing spouse successful the last round, crowd-favorite Scottie Scheffler, worked to erase a six-shot deficit. 

"I mean, I was fumbling," said Clark astir his last round, erstwhile helium bogied 3 of the archetypal 7 holes. "I had a six-shot lead, and past it ended up being a one-shot lead," helium said.

"I wanted to benignant of soundlessness the crowd, and connected 16, I made a immense putt, and I consciousness similar I was the lone 1 that yelled," Clark said.

Clark changeable a 3-over 73 successful the last round, but held connected to bushed Sam Burns by 1 stroke. It was his 2nd U.S. Open win, besides taking the large successful 2023.

Regardless of the crowd, the five-time PGA Tour victor yet got to observe with those closest to him. 

Clark's father, Randall, took a red-eye from Colorado to astonishment his lad aft his last round.

Wyndham Clark of the United States celebrates with begetter Randall Clark aft winning the 126th U.S. Open astatine Shinnecock Hills Golf Club connected June 21, 2026, successful Southampton, N.Y.  Mike Mulholland/Getty Images

"My dad's ne'er seen maine triumph successful person," Clark said. "My dada introduced maine to the game, helium played nonrecreational tennis, truthful helium was an athlete, and yeah, I had nary thought helium was coming."

"For him to beryllium determination connected Father's Day and celebrate, helium was truly emotional, and I was too," helium said.

His girlfriend, Emily, was besides determination to hug him aft the win.

"I deliberation it's conscionable a caller chapter," helium said. "It's a redemption tour, and I conscionable privation radical to spot who the existent Wyndham Clark is."

"That was conscionable a mistake I made," Clark said of the incidental past year. "It's not who I am."

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• U.S. Open
• PGA Tour