What the US Open crowd did wrong was Wyndham Clark

SOUTHAMPTON, NY – Reputation is gained in drops and lost in buckets.

Shinnecock Hills knows this. They spent more than a century – 135 difficult years – gradually acquiring the social, political and golf capital that brought them here: A place that is considered one of the best and most prestigious private golf clubs anywhere in the world.

Wyndham Clark knows it, too. Maybe not earlier this week at the US Open, but after Sunday afternoon, when he endured several hours of abuse at the hands of Long Island’s worst crowd on his way to his second US Open Championship.

I don’t know that I know much about Clark. I saw what was reported about his behavior at last year’s US Open at Oakmont, when he destroyed the hallowed locker room after a round of golf and later seemed unconcerned with remorse. I’ve seen his bad swings result in anger, including avoiding accidentally hitting a volunteer (those expressions of regret were very sincere). And I’ve seen rehabilitation efforts in recent months to shake off the stigma that he’s a hotshot, or worse, a Bad Guy.

But after watching him Sunday at Shinnecock, I know this: Wyndham Clark has something serious the backbone.

In case you didn’t know, it is very difficult to win a major tournament. It can be said that it is very difficult to win the US Open. Winning a national championship is a waterboarding experience – except here the drowning doesn’t happen. You don’t say overcome Open it. You be patient for one, you race through a vast sea of ​​failure and disaster to ultimately come up with a lower score than your competitors. Usually, it takes every last ounce of you.

This is because the US Open is your biggest test. It reveals things you would never dare say out loud. It pushes you where you are weak. It shows you who you really are.

To win a major tournament the way Clark did Sunday at Shinnecock — where he competed not only on his own but with Shinnecock as a whole — was a reflection of Clark’s depth that he couldn’t even write.

So how did you do it?

He said laughing.

“I used to make jokes about it [caddie] Dave [Pelekoudas],” said Clark, “If we hear someone cheering me on, I’ll go oh, there is one person who likes me. So we can make jokes and make it light hearted. “

Laughter must have been good medicine for Clark on Sunday afternoon, because he needed it badly as he turned home. A day that had started with six goals was reduced to two, and Sam Burns was on the charge. By then, the crowd had gotten so out of hand that it had packed the clubhouse at Shinnecock, where crowds of people sat on the porch and watched as Clark hit his shot on the 13th.

“ENTER THE BUNKER! shouted one fan in the grandstand near the tee box, a catcall that caused loud laughter inside the clubhouse.

From directly outside the clubhouse, one volunteer looked unreservedly.

“I feel bad for this boy,” she said. “But you brought this on yourself.”

Clark brought it on himself – but it’s not clear if he (or anyone) had earned what he got on Sunday afternoon. Sure, Wyndham did no better than a booing crowd when he left the locker room at Oakmont, but there’s an old saying about two wrongs. There was another very simple reason why the galleries at the US Open Sunday would have been wise to exercise better judgment: The man they were hoping to upset was unstoppable.

Fans thought they could get under his skin, but they were wrong. Wyndham Clark had a backbone.

“It bothers me to be a lowly person or to have roots, but I can get by,” said Sonto with a smile. “There’s nothing like winning that kind of away game, if you will.”

That may not be enough to return the love from the crowds when he starts his final tournament of the year at Royal Birkdale. Well, it may not be enough to restore their respect … ever.

“I hope I don’t become a PGA heel,” Clark said. “I guess if I am, any press is fine, right?”

On Sunday at Shinnecock, Wyndham Clark did not change his reputation.

But he added a few drops in the right direction…and a few pounds of silverware.