Wyndham Clark's Players Championship Heartbreak: A Year's Journey Seeking Redemption
Wyndham Clark reflects on his golf journey, balancing success and expectations one year after his near-miss at The Players Championship.
Clark's trajectory changed dramatically after winning the 2023 U.S. Open at Los Angeles Country Club, showing him his true potential in elite men's professional golf. However, his narrow miss at last year's Players Championship - where his tournament-tying birdie attempt lipped out on the 72nd hole - remains a pivotal moment in his career.
"If I would have birdied 16, 17, and 18, forced a playoff and won, it could have been one of the best finishes in Players history," Clark reflected at TPC Sawgrass. This near-miss preceded a challenging period where he missed the cut in three of four majors.
Currently, Clark struggles to recapture his peak form. In six starts this season, he has no top-10 finishes and ranks 69th in total Strokes Gained among players with at least 10 Shotlink rounds. His performance breakdown shows:
- 75th in SG: off the tee
- 96th in approach
- 30th around the green
- 74th in putting
The pressure of success has weighed on Clark: "It's funny how you win a major, win some tournaments, and everyone expects you to do that all the time. Sometimes your expectations get skewed either by the media or outside people."
Clark's focus now is returning to fundamentals and finding joy in his game. "When I am enjoying myself on the golf course, I feel like I'm maximizing my potential. I'm having fun with my caddie and embracing the moment. Those are things I'm trying to get back to because I think I play my best golf in that state of mind."
As he returns to TPC Sawgrass, Clark seeks not just redemption but also the rekindling of the consistent, quality golf that once defined his game. His journey exemplifies golf's eternal challenge: capturing and maintaining peak performance while managing the expectations that come with success.