After a harsh week at Shinnecock Hills, the U.S. Open champion was prompted to reveal his connection with the NFL star Baker Mayfield and explained a tweet he wrote nearly a decade ago that had long puzzled fans. During an appearance on Barstool Sports’ Pardon My Take podcast, Clark addressed why he once hated Mayfield, and coincidentally, the scrutiny surrounding him this week prompted him to share the story publicly.

“I’m trying to decide if I should tell the story…alright, screw it, I don’t care,” Wyndham Clark said at the show. “People already hate me. My girlfriend at the time cheated on me with Baker Mayfield.”

That’s a confession no one expected to hear.

On Wednesday, the Pardon My Take host pulled up a December 2016 tweet in which Clark had simply confessed with little to no explanation, “I hate Baker Mayfield.” And for years, people had assumed it was a college rivalry thing, trying to make connections out of it. For those who don’t know, Baker Mayfield was the face of Oklahoma, and Clark was from Oklahoma State (OSU). And famously, the rivalry between the colleges has stretched for over a century.

It seemed to add up. And given the sports circumstances at the time, nobody seemed to question it. Except that Clark transferred to Oregon later. He had no team stake in that rivalry anymore. So the tweet sat unanswered for nearly a decade, and nobody could figure it out.

Furthermore, Clark revealed that when the two spoke about it later, Mayfield had no idea Clark felt that way. He was also quick to admit that there are no hard feelings between them today and that both have moved well past the incident.

“That’s your initial response; screw that guy,” Clark said. “I’m actually a Baker fan now. I think he’s a homie. That’s where it came from. I hope this is a bro moment for us to be like, ‘Oh, bro, I didn’t know. My bad. She never told me,’ and I’ll be like, ‘It’s all good; we’re homies, let’s play golf.'”

In fact, Wyndham Clark now cheers for Baker Mayfield, who is the starting quarterback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He was the first overall pick in the 2018 NFL draft and has rebuilt his career significantly after a rough stint with the Cleveland Browns.

As for Clark, he has remained firmly in the headlines following his record-breaking victory at the 2026 U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills, where he set three historic marks. Alongside his success on the course, his relationship with fans has continued to draw attention. Conversations about his 2025 U.S. Open appearance at Oakmont are still lingering among fans.

Despite the scrutiny, Clark has maintained a neutral stance and has repeatedly mentioned that he’s still willing to win the fans over.

Personally, however, both Clark and Baker Mayfield have long moved on. Clark is currently in a long-term relationship with his girlfriend, Emily Tanner. She was also by his side during the U.S. Open victory celebrations. Meanwhile, Mayfield has also been married to his longtime girlfriend, Emily Mayfield, since July 2019.