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It’s still early July, but Wyndham Clark has had worse summers.
Two weeks ago, at Shinnecock Hills, Clark won the U.S. Open for the second time in his career, reestablishing himself as one of golf’s most dangerous big-stage players. And he did it at one of the sport’s most demanding venues.
Then, instead of disappearing to sleep, celebrate and figure out how many unread text messages were still on his phone, Clark went to TPC River Highlands and nearly won again at the Travelers Championship. Just a week after his U.S. Open victory, Clark tied for fifth at 18 under, just three shots out of the playoff between Scottie Scheffler and eventual winner Viktor Hovland.
For most players, that would be an excellent week, but for a guy running on fumes after winning a national championship, it was a statement.
In a recent conversation made possible with the help of T-Mobile, I spoke with the Colorado native about how he handled that quick turnaround, why this second U.S. Open win felt different from the first, and how a change on the greens has helped unlock his game.
Learn from his experience after winning at Los Angeles Country Club in 2023, Clark said he arrived at the Travelers knowing he needed to be smart. He arrived on Wednesday, skipped the pro-am, handled a few media responsibilities and planned to practice for about two hours. That plan lasted roughly half an hour.
“I got there and I did about 30 minutes and said, I’m too tired,” Clark said. “Let’s go back.”
So, he rested, showed up early the next day and tried to ease back into tournament mode. Even then, he admitted the opening round required some extra mental effort. But as the week went on, the competitive instincts returned.
“I’m back in my arena,” he said. “Let’s go.”
That may be the most interesting thing about Clark right now. After winning his first U.S. Open in 2023, the outside noise and obligations became part of the experience. This time, he seemed better prepared for the aftershocks that come with winning a major.
He wanted to celebrate the win, but he also wanted to keep playing. After all, it was his second win in two months, and the Travelers Championship is a signature event where there was no cut and loads of valuable FedEx points were up for grabs. To Clark, it was a chance to keep momentum instead of letting the moment swallow him.
While he had been playing well earlier in the year, Clark's switch to the Ping Scottsdale TEC Ally Blue putter helped him start taking advantage of his great driving and iron play.
“When you start making putts, it makes everything a lot easier,” he said.
Our conversation also drifted into music, casual rounds and the kind of technology golfers actually use when the scorecard is not being monitored too closely. Clark said music is “almost a must” when he plays casually, with country music leading the way unless the round needs a little more energy.
That led, naturally, to Ella Langley and the revelation that Clark may be an “Ella Fella.”
Major champion, U.S. Open grinder, Ryder Cup-level competitor and, apparently, not immune to a good country playlist.
There are worse things to be in 2026.
David Dusek is a senior writer at Golfweek.
This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Wyndham Clark explains his hot streak and why he's an Ella Langley fan
Continue reading...
Two weeks ago, at Shinnecock Hills, Clark won the U.S. Open for the second time in his career, reestablishing himself as one of golf’s most dangerous big-stage players. And he did it at one of the sport’s most demanding venues.
Then, instead of disappearing to sleep, celebrate and figure out how many unread text messages were still on his phone, Clark went to TPC River Highlands and nearly won again at the Travelers Championship. Just a week after his U.S. Open victory, Clark tied for fifth at 18 under, just three shots out of the playoff between Scottie Scheffler and eventual winner Viktor Hovland.
For most players, that would be an excellent week, but for a guy running on fumes after winning a national championship, it was a statement.
In a recent conversation made possible with the help of T-Mobile, I spoke with the Colorado native about how he handled that quick turnaround, why this second U.S. Open win felt different from the first, and how a change on the greens has helped unlock his game.
Learn from his experience after winning at Los Angeles Country Club in 2023, Clark said he arrived at the Travelers knowing he needed to be smart. He arrived on Wednesday, skipped the pro-am, handled a few media responsibilities and planned to practice for about two hours. That plan lasted roughly half an hour.
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“I got there and I did about 30 minutes and said, I’m too tired,” Clark said. “Let’s go back.”
So, he rested, showed up early the next day and tried to ease back into tournament mode. Even then, he admitted the opening round required some extra mental effort. But as the week went on, the competitive instincts returned.
“I’m back in my arena,” he said. “Let’s go.”
That may be the most interesting thing about Clark right now. After winning his first U.S. Open in 2023, the outside noise and obligations became part of the experience. This time, he seemed better prepared for the aftershocks that come with winning a major.
He wanted to celebrate the win, but he also wanted to keep playing. After all, it was his second win in two months, and the Travelers Championship is a signature event where there was no cut and loads of valuable FedEx points were up for grabs. To Clark, it was a chance to keep momentum instead of letting the moment swallow him.
While he had been playing well earlier in the year, Clark's switch to the Ping Scottsdale TEC Ally Blue putter helped him start taking advantage of his great driving and iron play.
You must be registered for see images attach
“When you start making putts, it makes everything a lot easier,” he said.
Our conversation also drifted into music, casual rounds and the kind of technology golfers actually use when the scorecard is not being monitored too closely. Clark said music is “almost a must” when he plays casually, with country music leading the way unless the round needs a little more energy.
That led, naturally, to Ella Langley and the revelation that Clark may be an “Ella Fella.”
Major champion, U.S. Open grinder, Ryder Cup-level competitor and, apparently, not immune to a good country playlist.
There are worse things to be in 2026.
David Dusek is a senior writer at Golfweek.
This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Wyndham Clark explains his hot streak and why he's an Ella Langley fan
Continue reading...
