CROMWELL, Conn. (AP) — Former U.S. Open champion Wyndham Clark said he “deeply regrets” the damage done to the century-old locker he was using at Oakmont during the U.S. Open, his second act of frustration that caused damage at a major this year.
Reports surfaced over the weekend that Clark damaged his locker. The USGA said only that it works directly with players and their managers when it comes to player conduct.
Clark, who bogeyed his last hole Friday to miss the cut by one shot at the U.S. Open, opened the Travelers Championship with a 64 on Thursday. When asked to comment on the Oakmont locker incident, Clark said: “Yeah, I mean, I’ve had a lot of highs and lows in my career, especially this year some lows.
“I made a mistake that I deeply regret. I’m very sorry for what happened,” he said. “But I’d also like to move on, not only for myself but for Oakmont, for the USGA, and kind of focus on the rest of the year and things that come up.”
Clark burst into prominence in 2023 with two victories, including the U.S. Open, and a spot on the Ryder Cup team. He won at Pebble Beach a year later and qualified for the Olympics.
But he has only one top-10 finish in the last nine months and has dropped to No. 27 in the world ranking and No. 80 in the FedEx Cup.
At the PGA Championship, he hit his drive to the right and slung his driver behind him, damaging a sign on the tee. The logo was that of one of his corporate sponsors. Clark posted an apology for that incident on social media.
“As professionals, we are expected to remain professional even when frustrated and I unfortunately let my emotions get the best of me. My actions were uncalled for and completely inappropriate, making it clear that I have things I need to work on,” Clark said last month.
“I promise to better the way I handle my frustrations on the course going forward, and hope you all can forgive me in due time.”
Clark is No. 23 in the Ryder Cup standings, with six players getting automatic spots. He has the one more signature event (Travelers) and one major (British Open) among tournaments left to improve his standing in the FedEx Cup. Only the top 70 make the postseason.
“I still want to try to make the Ryder Cup team. I still am on the outside looking in for the FedEx Cup,” Clark said. “So I’m starting to move on and focus on those things.”