With one round to go of the 2023 US Open at a Los Angeles Country Club, Wyndham Clark and Rickie Fowler shared the lead, and Rory McIlroy stood just one shot behind. That was despite the players having to contend with fading light over the closing holes of Saturday’s play.
At the time, Clark, who went on to claim victory at the Major, said: "We played twilight golf," and questioned the late tee times. Now, thanks to the second series of Full Swing, we can hear the opinions of Fowler and McIlroy on the issue in the aftermath of the controversy.
During the second episode, which focuses heavily on Fowler, the six-time PGA Tour winner says: “Who’s in charge of tee times? We played the last three holes in the dark. They don’t have the excuse of ‘oh there’s a marine layer’ because I saw in the weather that was going to be a marine layer coming in. When the 18th fairway is being lit up by the scoreboard?”
Then, in a scene featuring Fowler and McIlroy in the gym, the Ulsterman, who was attempting to claim his first Major title since 2014, discussed the matter with the American, saying: “Pretty dark those last few holes. Ridiculous. I was going ape s***.”
McIlroy then described how he had attempted to manage the situation along with caddie Harry Diamond. He said: “I hit it to like 20 feet the last three holes, 16, 17 and 18, and I just said to Harry, ’I don’t really know what these things are going to do, I can’t see.’ I was like ‘I’ve just got to lag these up’. It was ridiculous. I was like ‘That’s the light, that’s all that is.’
Afterwards, Clark said the late tee times contributed to his bogey on the 17th, as well as playing partner Fowler's bogey on the 18th, with clouds gathering at around 8pm local time. He explained: “It’s a little ridiculous that we teed off that late. I would say right around hole 15 or 16 it started getting to where you couldn't see that well. I mean, I don't personally understand why we teed off - we played twilight golf.
"At the end, it was - the last two holes I 100 percent think my bogey on 17 was because I couldn't see, and I think Rickie's bogey on 18 was because he couldn't see. I'd like to see us go off an hour and a half, two hours earlier. If we had a playoff tomorrow we wouldn't even be able to play the playoff tomorrow because it was so dark."
Tee times for the final round were brought forward by 70 minutes, meaning there were no similar issues as the action drew to a close. In the event, Fowler’s bid for the trophy fell away thanks to a round of 75 that saw him finish tied for fifth, while Clark held off the challenge of McIlroy, who had to settle for runner-up as the American picked up his first Major title.
