Wyndham Clark may not have been the most known name in golf heading into 2023.
But he’s having quite a year on the PGA Tour, and now he’s among the top names heading into the final round of the 2023 U.S. Open.
So you might be wondering: Who is Clark and what should you know about him as he plays the final round at Los Angeles Country Club?
Let’s dive in with some facts about Clark and a look back at how he got to this place, which included his first tournament win in 2023 (see below):
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1
He went to high school with Christian McCaffrey
They both attended Valor Christian High School in Colorado and McCaffrey congratulated Clark on his first win recently:
Christian McCaffrey congratulates good friend Wyndham Clark after a big win at the Wells Fargo Championship! pic.twitter.com/Zm9SUFtshw
— Sunday Night Football on NBC (@SNFonNBC) May 8, 2023
2
Speaking of which, Clark won his first tournament this year
He won the 2023 Wells Fargo Championship in May, finishing four shots ahead of Xander Schauffele.
“It’s just amazing to finally do this.” ❤️ @Wyndham_Clark was emotional reflecting on his first win @WellsFargoGolf. pic.twitter.com/TN97F9JgBd
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) May 7, 2023
3
He lost his mom at a young age
While he was at Oklahoma State in 2023, Clark’s mother Lise died from breast cancer. He eventually transferred to Oregon. From the New York Post in 2019:
“Clark fell into a state of depression, several times came close to quitting golf, eventually sought counseling and, after his third year at OSU, transferred to Oregon to start fresh.”
“I had two really tough years after [Lise’s death] at Oklahoma State, which ultimately led to me transferring to Oregon,’’ he said. “That’s kind of where I finally got over the hurdle of my mom’s passing and was able to be normal again and deal with it and be able to talk about her without crying.’’
4
Clark began the week ranked 32 in the world
Thanks to some strong play of late — four top-six finishes in 2023, including that win — he’s gotten pretty high up.
5
His iron play could be a big reason why he's in this spot
Wyndham Clark’s iron play ascension has been absurd this year.
Went from way below average to top 5 over his last 50 rounds.
Combine that with ++ distance and you’re gonna beat a lot of dudes. pic.twitter.com/V0i1oGawCP
— No Laying Up (@NoLayingUp) June 18, 2023
That’s a good chart right there.
