U.S. Open Champ Wyndham Clark Says He Was 'Surprised' by Fans' Heckling but 'It Was a Fun Challenge' (Exclusive)
U.S. Open Champ Wyndham Clark Says He Was 'Surprised' by Fans' Heckling but 'It Was a Fun Challenge' (Exclusive)
Anna Lazarus CaplanTue, June 23, 2026 at 9:02 PM UTC
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Wyndham ClarkCredit: Ross Kinnaird/Getty -
Wyndham Clark won the U.S. Open on Sunday, June 21
The golfer overcame a tough course and salty sentiment from the crowd
Clark, 32, previously won the U.S. Open in 2023
Wyndham Clark had a six-shot edge heading into the final day of the U.S. Open — but even that didn't ease his nerves.
"Having such a lead, your mind sometimes leans towards like, 'What if I choke? What if I blow this?' " the 2026 U.S. Open champ tells PEOPLE in an exclusive interview. "But I knew, all right, with nine holes to go, I'm gonna have a chance to win this thing."
He adds, "It was a fun challenge."
The Denver, Colo. native, 32, also considers it a learning experience, as he battled through the tough conditions at the legendary Shinnecock Hills Golf Club: gusty winds, epic slopes off the greens — and, unfortunately, some salty fans — to finish with a one-stroke victory over Sam Burns.
Wyndham ClarkCredit: Christian Petersen/Getty
"I was a little surprised, to be honest," Clark says about the sentiment in the crowd. "I knew there'd be some chirps or some negativity, but I didn't think the entire crowd would be kind of against me and for other people. So that was a little bit of a surprise, but, you know, the good thing is I was able to kind of prepare for it. I embraced it and loved it."
Unlike his win at the CJ Cup Byron Nelson last month, or even his close third-place finish at the Memorial Tournament two weeks later, the crowds at the Long Island major were vocal, so much that the golfer couldn't tune them out.
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So, Clark — who won the 2023 U.S. Open in Los Angeles at Riviera Country Club but courted controversy at last year's event after he missed the cut and damaged property inside the locker room at Oakmont Country Club — says he used it all to his advantage.
"It's tough when you're playing away games, if you will, right?" he tells PEOPLE. "The crowd is not for you. But there's nothing better than kind of silencing the crowd and winning an away game."
Along for the thrill ride were Clark's brother and sister, his girlfriend Emily Tanner, and his dad, Randall, who pulled off the epic Father's Day surprise by taking a red-eye flight — and ended up seeing his son win in-person for the first time.
All of which has had the Clark family on a celebratory high since Sunday."Rory McIlroy one time told me, he says, 'Hey, you, you don't win that often in this sport so you should really enjoy when you do,' " Clark recalls to PEOPLE. "Sometimes you move on too quickly. And so that's kind of stayed in my mind for a while. Now that I've won this, I'm gonna enjoy it."
on People
Source: “AOL Sports”
