Sensation and emotion in Los Angeles: the American Wyndham Clark, who had never done better than 75th place in Grand Slams until then, offered himself the US Open golf course, resisting cador Rory McIlroy and to the pressure of the feat of a lifetime, Sunday.
“It was my time”
“I think my mum was watching me today. I miss you…I’ve worked so hard and visualized so many times this moment when I’d find myself in this position. It was my time,” commented the winner, after having dried his tears on the green of the N.18 where he ensured the par to record his unexpected triumph.
What indeed to live up to the request of his mother, Lise, who put his first club in his hands as a child and had urged him to “play for something bigger than him”, just before dying of death. breast cancer ten years ago, at the age of 55. “When I play, I want to do it for her. I want to show everyone the person I am and the joy I have in playing, hoping to be able to inspire people”, he had explained in recent days when attention began to shift to him.
“I can do it”
Starting from pole position at the start of the afternoon, tied with his compatriot Ricky Fowler who finished 5th, Clark led the way throughout the fourth lap, ahead of McIlroy. The Northern Irishman, winner of the event in 2011, who dreamed of a fifth Major, failed one shot. The world No.1 Scottie Scheffler ranked 3rd at three units.
The 29-year-old American birdied on his first hole and then never had the weakness to look in the rearview mirror. However, after having counted up to three strokes in advance, thanks to his fourth birdie of the day on the N.14, where the world N.3 committed a bogey there, his mattress was suddenly reduced to one unit, due to two consecutive bogeys just behind.
“The US Open is difficult, especially when it comes to trying to win on the last nine holes. But I felt comfortable and I kept saying to myself + I can do it, I can do it. do +”, said Clark, who indeed held on in the final straight, ensuring the starts on the N.17 and 18, like his prestigious rival, without shaking too much and even showing a smile on the way.
There was enough, however, in view of his own history with the little white ball and repeated failures, which have marked his career since his professional debut in 2017, which did not give a glimpse of the prospect of success, until This year.
Out of the top 200 at the end of 2021
A year and a half ago, Clark wasn’t even in the top 200 in the world. He then missed the cut 24 times between 2021 and 2022, before appearing almost out of nowhere in recent months, winning the Wells Fargo Championship, at the expense of Xander Schauffele, reigning Olympic champion.
He previously finished 10th at the Phoenix Open and 5th at the Valspar Championship, before showing up at Memorial with a 12th-place finish two weeks ago. Enough to climb to 32nd place, just before this Major who reached out to him, after having sent him back to his studies after only two rounds, during the two previous editions.
The US Open, which took up residence at the LA Country Club for the first time, narrowly escapes McIlroy, who has not won a Major since 2014 and his victories at the PGA Championship and the British Open. “I will regret some missed opportunities in putting,” breathed the Northern Irishman. “I struggled with my approaches throughout the day. I hung on and fought until the end, but couldn’t get the job done.”