Wyndham Clark hung on to win the U.S. Open Sunday at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club, becoming just the ninth “true wire-to-wire winner” in the championship’s history. He finished at 4-under for the week, topping Sam Burns by one. Given the fact that Clark had played so well -- and is an American -- “it was curious to see and hear how poorly the fans were treating him through Sunday’s winning march.” Clark said, “They definitely didn’t want me to win. It’s pretty rare in a (U.S. Open) or major to have fans kind of boo against your shots or cheer for bad shots.” Clark was paired with Scottie Scheffler, who “was gunning to complete the career grand slam,” and “everyone was cheering for something special” (SPORTSNET.ca, 6/22). The jeers at Clark came “through the broadcast audibly for much of the final round” (GOLFWEEK, 6/21).
Clark “held his nerve” against a charge by Burns and “a Shinnecock Hills crowd that never gave him much love” to win his second U.S. Open title in four years. Clark “noticed fans leaving early on Saturday and hoped for a big crowd and big energy for the final round.” He “got every bit of that,” and it “was uncomfortable at times.” One fan “was ejected when he shouted, ‘Don’t choke, Wyndham.’” The grandstand behind the seventh green also “broke into cheers when his shot rolled off the green and into the bunker” (AP, 6/21). A couple more fans were reportedly “sent home during the day as well.” On the sixth hole, one fan yelled for Clark’s approach to “splash!” in the sand. On the seventh, a fan yelled for Clark’s ball to “get in the bunker!” (GOLF, 6/21). The “verbal abuse of Clark got so relentless that after tossing several hecklers early,” a security veteran at one point on the back nine turned to a media member and said, “Can’t throw a whole grandstand out” (GOLFCHANNEL.com, 6/21).
