Wyndham Clark remains the player to beat at this year’s US Open, having missed the cut at Oakmont this time last year.
But Clark had a bigger issue during the 2025 edition of the major, when he came under heavy scrutiny for his actions off the course.
The American was left furious after missing the cut, which he followed by smashing the lockers at the prestigious venue in Pennsylvania.
Clark was banned from playing at Oakmont after his outburst at the event, and was unsurprisingly told to pay for the damage he had caused.
He has now addressed the incident a year later after his second round of this year’s US Open at Shinnecock Hills in Long Island.
Wyndham Clark addresses Oakmont locker smash at the US Open
Clark was asked on Friday how much he’s felt the perception of him has changed from fans and people within golf, and he responded candidly.
“Yeah, I’ve gotten a lot of grief since last year, rightfully so,” he said.
“The thing that’s unfortunate is that’s not who I am, what happened last year.
“I’m hoping I can win back the fans that I had or some new fans because it was a terrible incident.
“You know, I really feel like I can show people that I’m fun and outgoing, I’m fierce, competitive, love the game, respect the game, and I just had a bad moment.
“Hopefully I can win those people back.
“Yeah, I definitely feel like I’m in a better place.
“Hopefully a great weekend and great rest of the year, maybe I’ll gain all those fans back.”
Is Wyndham Clark the most in-form golfer at the US Open?
It may take some time for everyone to forgive his wrongdoings at Oakmont, but it’s clear that Clark regrets his actions.
And it’s fair to say that he hasn’t let what happened to him impact his game at Shinnecock Hills, where he finished his second round at the top of the leaderboard.
With rounds of 64 and 69, Clark posted a record 36-hole score at Shinnecock Hills, where he leads by four shots.
He has, of course, already won the major, lifting the trophy in 2023 with a one-shot victory over Rory McIlroy at Los Angeles Country Club.
Clark was certainly threatening to shine heading into the tournament, arguably representing the standout player on the PGA Tour.
He won the CJ Cup Byron Nelson in May, and followed that up by finishing third at the Memorial Tournament and T11 at the RBC Canadian Open.
