Wyndham Clark has admitted that he barely spoke to Scottie Scheffler during the final round of the US Open at Shinnecock Hills, but revealed what the world number one said to him after his victory.
Clark would have been forgiven for feeling a sense of dread when he realised that Scheffler would be the man joining him in the final group for the last round.
Clark went into Sunday with a six-shot lead despite making a bogey on his final hole of the third round. Nevertheless, he would have been aware that he was standing between Scheffler and golfing history.
Sunday marked Scheffler’s first opportunity to complete the Career Grand Slam.
Wyndham Clark reacts to playing alongside Scottie Scheffler on Sunday at the US Open
Ultimately, it was not to be for the 30-year-old. Interestingly, it was his good friend Sam Burns who made the biggest charge to catch Clark. In fact, a bogey up the last for the 2023 champion would have led to a playoff with Burns.
But Clark was able to get across the line. And speaking on Pardon My Take, Clark explained what the experience of playing alongside the four-time major champion was like.
“Scottie is a killer! We did not talk much during the round. We are buddies and have obviously been on Ryder Cup and Presidents Cups together. We have played practice rounds and competitive rounds together,” he said.
“But when we get inside the ropes we are both killers. There was not much talking during the round. But afterwards he gave me praise, he was like ‘hey man that was amazing’.
“And he was back to his usual self in the clubhouse. I also really applaud and appreciate what he said in his pressers.
“I have nothing but respect for that guy. I know people wanted him to win the Grand Slam and he is going to. He is so incredible. It just wasn’t his weekend.”
The round that really cost Scottie Scheffler the Career Grand Slam
A familiar problem cost Scheffler at the US Open.
He finished four shots adrift of Clark after failing to really get anything going during the final round in Southampton. It never felt as though Scheffler was going to be the man to rival the leader once he made an early mistake on Sunday.
But the majority of the damage was done on Thursday.
Scheffler was unlucky to be on the wrong side of the draw. But that meant that he found himself eight shots behind Clark once the first round concluded.
Obviously, that means that Scheffler was four shots better than Clark over the final three rounds.
And yet, few would have imagined that Scheffler’s first attempt at completing the Career Grand Slam would prove to be so underwhelming.
