Wyndham Clark shot 64 in Round 1 at Shinnecock Hills. A year ago, missing the cut at Oakmont sent him into a rage that ended with a property ban, mandatory counseling, and months of public backlash. Now he’s on the right side of the cut line and trying to get back on the right side of the fans, too. When asked at the press conference whether fans’ POV of him had changed, Clark did not sidestep it.

“I’ve gotten a lot of grief since last year, rightfully so,” he told the media. “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. 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.”

The incident occurred in the locker room of the 2025 US Open at Oakmont when Wyndham Clark caused damage. Completely barred from the grounds, Oakmont expelled him. He was told by the club that he would have to pay for any damage, donate to a charity chosen by the board, and undergo counseling or anger management therapy. The club has original benches that Ben Hogan and Arnold Palmer used. Clark expressed his deepest regrets for his actions in a public apology.

83% of our readers couldn't break par yesterday

Changing winds, tricky bunkers, and quirky breaks test every shot. Beat par, compare scores, and return tomorrow for a new challenge.

TEE OFF HERE↗

The therapy he was required to complete became something he genuinely leaned into.

Wyndham Clark has long worked with sports psychologist Julie Elion, and speaking to Golf.com, he reframed what that work meant to him: “Everyone thinks working with a therapist means something’s wrong with you. This is someone to help grow your mind. I was one of those people. I thought it made me look weak, but it’s amazing how much it’s made me stronger.” Elion described Clark’s growth plainly: “Wyndham Clark took a long time to begin examining his life, and my belief is he was rewarded for doing so.”

Winning people back, though, is not going to be a cake walk for him.

At the 2026 CJ Cup Byron Nelson, where Clark won at 30-under, a broadcaster referenced what he had “overcome.” Ryan Barath pushed back on X: “Can broadcasters please stop saying that Wyndham Clark overcame something that happened to him? He made a decision to throw a fit and destroy a locker; the locker didn’t attack him.”

Michael Kim stepped in, replying that the comment was likely about Clark losing his mother to cancer. Clark’s mother, Lise Thevenet Clark, died in August 2013 at 55 after battling breast cancer. The 22-year-old said the grief boiled over after returning to Oklahoma State, and he questioned whether golf was even worth continuing. That context did not stop fans from making it clear online that the Oakmont behavior stood on its own.

On the course at Shinnecock, Wyndham Clark shot a 64 in Round 1, six under par, and followed it with a 69 in Round 2, leaving him at seven under through the halfway point.

“I’ve really come a long way,” he said on Monday. “I’m excited for this year’s Open for some redemption and moving forward and enjoying the challenges of Shinnecock.”

The scoreboard gives him a chance. Whether the fans follow is a separate question entirely.