Wyndham Clark is a two-time U.S. Open champion, and he not only had to conquer the extremely difficult test that is Shinnecock Hills to accomplish that feat, but also had to combat the most hostile and over-the-top fan environments perhaps ever seen at a major championship.
The galleries at Shinnecock did not help the growing sentiment that New York fans may be the worst in sports, and they deserve to be called out.
As for the actual round of golf that Clark put together to find the winner’s circle, it was far from a perfect final round as he signed for a 3-over 73 to win by one, but two shots in particular will stand out for quite some time. One of the two should get the nod over the other in terms of both ridiculousness and where he grabbed a hold of the tournament.
While Clark was celebrating his second U.S. Open title in three years, the man he beat by a shot, Sam Burns, was shedding tears inside the media center at Shinnecock. The tears weren’t solely a result of coming up short at another major, but more so about the message his dad shared with him after Burns’ Sunday surge up the leader board came up just short.
This is Par Talk, a weekly read to get you caught up on all the happenings that took place in professional golf that you need to know. You can follow Mark on X @itismarkharris and email him at [email protected].
U.S. Open fans deserve to be harshly criticized
The fan behavior towards Wyndham Clark during Sunday’s final round at Shinnecock was ludicrous, but also so on-the-nose typical of what we’ve grown to expect from fans attending an event on Long Island, New York.
Earlier this month, you had New York Knicks fans get violent in the streets during the NBA Finals. Turn the clock back to September, and Ryder Cup fans at Bethpage Black, also located on Long Island, embarrassed themselves for three consecutive days. Things are expected to get a bit out of hand when we’re discussing a team’s first title in over 50 years and at the Ryder Cup, held on U.S. soil, when it’s America against Europe.
What we saw and heard from fans while Wyndham Clark was trying to win his national open on one of the finest courses in his home country on Sunday was beyond the pale.
It’s entirely fine if Clark isn’t your cup of tea, and he has made mistakes in the recent past, but it’s hard to fathom the punishment he received for five straight hours on Sunday fit his “crimes.”
Clark threw his driver through an advertisement sign during the final round of the 2025 PGA Championship, breaking his club in the process. A month later, he took apart two lockers inside the Oakmont clubhouse in a fit of rage after missing the cut in the 2025 U.S. Open.
Both of those things were unacceptable, and he’s taken on his earned criticism, but people make mistakes, and emotions get the best of players in this ridiculous game.
WYNDHAM CLARK DOESN’T HAVE TO BE LOVED, BUT HE DOES HAVE TO BE RESPECTED AFTER US OPEN TRIUMPH AT SHINNECOCK
Combining Clark’s past mistakes, his personality that can rub some people the wrong way, plus the fact that he was playing alongside Scottie Scheffler chasing the career grand slam, and you have a recipe for hostility. That doesn’t mean every ounce of class and decency should be tossed aside, as we saw from fans on Sunday.
Countless shouts for his ball to find a bunker the moment he made contact with it, cheers when an approach shot rolled off the putting surface, and minor roars after each of his five bogeys during the final round. Things got so bad before Clark had even made the turn that you couldn’t help but feel sympathy for the guy.
WYNDHAM CLARK SURVIVES HOSTILE CROWD AND SAM BURNS CHARGE TO WIN SECOND US OPEN AT SHINNECOCK HILLS
One of the beauties of sports is that fans are forced to pick a side, but there is a stark difference in cheering for your side and aggressively cheering against the opposition with zero form of decency.
New York sports fans will cling to the typical “everything is tougher in New York,” but that excuse is beyond tired at this point.
Wyndham Clark’s shot of the tournament
When looking back on Clark’s final round on Sunday, two specific shots stand out: the wedge shot he hit into the Par 4 10th hole and his layup on the par-5 16th hole out of a horrifying lie in the fescue.
Here’s a look at Clark’s flip wedge into the 10th green while leading by one at the time:
And here is what he somehow maneuvered out of the nasty stuff on the 16th, still holding onto the one-shot advantage:
Most will circle the iron shot on 16 as the most impressive shot that Clark hit on Sunday, given the lie, the fact it came late in the round, and the potential nightmare that loomed if he didn’t make perfect contact. It’s undoubtedly a shot he and the golf world will remember for quite some time, but the wedge on 10 was otherworldly.
Clark pushed driver off the tee, which is a move nobody else pulled on Sunday, and was met with a shot you either execute perfectly or you walk off the green with a bogey, at best. A wedge that isn’t clipped to perfection ends up rolling right back to your feet, and Clark immediately goes from leader to chaser.
How he produced the amount of spin on the shot from just 61 yards away defied reality. Knocking it to four feet and making the slippery birdie putt was the moment he grabbed the momentum of the golf tournament back.
Sam Burns has a good cry
Wyndham Clark’s dad surprising him on the 18th green as he became a two-time major champion on Sunday reflected what you could call the ‘easier’ side of being a father. An awesome moment, for sure, but Sam Burns’ old man, Todd, took on the much tougher, albeit far more common role as a golf dad of having to say the right thing as his son lost.
Burns’ father was standing beside him as he was hitting a few shots on the range, hoping Clark would stumble on the 18th and the two would go to battle in a playoff. When Clark nestled his lengthy birdie putt just a few inches from the hole, he stopped hitting balls and walked over to his family. His dad was the first one there to greet him. He put his arm on Sam’s shoulder and delivered the simple yet profound message that he was really proud of him.
Kyle Porter of Normal Sport asked Sam about the quick interaction with his father in such a huge moment, and the player you wouldn’t expect to let out emotion in that sort of setting couldn’t help himself.
Sam was rightfully devastated that his charge up the leader board ended up being one shot short of catching Clark. Becoming a major champion was right there. It will sting for quite some time, but not nearly as long as it would if he didn’t have the support system he does and a dad who tells him how proud he is in what feels like a life-altering moment.
It wasn’t the perfect Father’s Day for Sam Burns, a soon-to-be father of two himself, and his dad, but it could be the most impactful one they have ever experienced.
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