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For Wyndham Clark, the day after winning a major didn’t pan out quite the way he had anticipated. In a candid interview with Dan Rapaport aired Tuesday, Wyndham deconstructs the next 24 hours following him lifting the 2023 U.S. Open trophy in the shadows of Hollywood. He then walks us through details that were never revealed before, a story that goes far beyond your typical victory lap.

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“Do you know the story? It was epic,” Wyndham began, only to digress a bit here. “So, we signed tons of stuff and went back. I had like 40-50 friends and family in there. We were all drinking from the trophy. It was so much fun. Smiling, celebrating. The lady engraved my name on there with all the greats. My really good friend asked the lady, ‘How long have you been doing this?’ She goes, ’40 years.’ And he said, ‘Have you ever drunk out of a cup?’ She goes, ‘Never.’ So we poured champagne in there, and she took a sip. She was the first one after it was engraved. So I thought that was kind of cool.

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“Then we went to Delilah, and I didn’t have time to change out of my clothes, nor did I have any tennis shoes. So I wore my cleats to Delilah and ruined a table. It happened. We then went out late with the guys. Then, the next morning, we’re off to New York for all the media. And I ordered a dumb order of lox and bagels in the morning. I ate the lox and bagels. We get in the car, and I have to pull over, and I am throwing up so much. And then I tear the lining in my stomach.

“I actually had to go to the hospital. The day after, I was in the hospital for about two to three hours. I was a little embarrassed. It’s a true story. No one really knows. I’m going to let everyone know now. I don’t care. I’m an open book. But then we flew to New York, and then I did all the media stuff. And just like that, I’m on Good Morning America. Your life changes like this.”

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His June 18 victory at LA Country Club, an even-par 70 that gave him a four-day total of 10-under 270, edged out the competition. His win came after holding off now six-time major champion Rory McIlroy by a single stroke.

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Clark began the final round tied for the lead at 10-under with Rickie Fowler. After birdies on Nos. 1, 4, and 9, he built an early cushion, despite a costly bogey at the eighth, where a mis-hit chip nearly derailed his round. Clark later called it a turning point in the tournament.

The decisive moment came at the par-5 14th, where McIlroy bogeyed after finding trouble around the green, but Clark hit a fairway wood from 281 yards to 20 feet for a birdie, opening a three-shot lead with four holes remaining. Although he made bogeys at the 15th and 16th, he closed the final two holes with a brilliant two-putt from 60 feet on the 18th.

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The victory held extra weight given his history at the LA Country Club; he’d missed the cut in both 2021 and 2022 starts.

Six weeks before the U.S. Open in June and nearly four years after joining the tour, Wyndham Clark won his first PGA Tour title at the Wells Fargo Championship at Quail Hollow. “Winning the Wells Fargo Championship last month was huge because I had people telling me, ‘Hey, what if something greater is going to happen?'” Clark said after lifting the U.S. Open trophy. “I think that was one of the first times I said, ‘OK, I believe that.'”

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He closed out 2023 with eight top 10 finishes and made his Ryder Cup debut for the United States in Rome that autumn.

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Roshni Dhawan

207 Articles

Roshni Dhawan is a writer and researcher covering golf at EssentiallySports. With a background in brand strategy and research, she brings a process-driven approach to her coverage, prioritizing accuracy, structure, and depth in every story. Her work is rooted in making the sport accessible to a wide audience, from long-time followers to those newly engaging with the game. Her coverage focuses on narrative-driven features, player journeys, and the evolving dynamics shaping the sport. By going beyond surface-level reporting, Roshni highlights the human stories that define golf, placing developments within a broader context that resonates with readers while maintaining clarity and relevance. Before transitioning into sports media, she built experience across research and content roles, developing a strong foundation in data analysis, academic writing, and structured storytelling. This background informs her ability to approach golf with both analytical discipline and creative perspective, ensuring her reporting remains both insightful and engaging.

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Siddharth Rawat

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