The four major championships in golf have long been defined by prestige, tradition, and respect for the players on the sport’s biggest stage. Augusta National has long been the gold standard for it. The other three majors have largely followed that tone. Crowd energy? Yes. Passion? Absolutely. The hostility at Shinnecock Hills 2026, however, was deeply concerning. While Wyndham Clark maintained his composure, the crowd’s behavior has sparked concerns about fan conduct and the direction of the game. Golf analyst Brandel Chamblee is among those who criticized the spectators’ actions.
“I think it was the worst I’ve ever seen a player treated when you consider it was an American player on American soil,” Brandel Chamblee said. “Yes, I’ve seen foreign players; I’ve seen Colin Montgomerie get jeered over here in a Ryder Cup and major championships. I’ve seen Brian Harman get jeered at in The Open Championship on what, to him, is foreign soil.”
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“I’ve never seen an American player on American soil get so jeered. I don’t remember it being present from the first tee on, with every single shot he hit. There were times where he was standing over a shot… and people were yelling, ‘Hit it in the bunker,’ you know, ‘Miss the green,’ cheering for every little miscue he had today,” he said.
Despite the USGA’s Spectators Conduct Policy in place, which strictly states, “verbal abuse, harassment of any nature, threats, taunting, profanity, heckling, or any conduct that unfairly advantages or disadvantages players. Violation of this policy or any rule or instruction of Championship representatives or violation of this license is prohibited and shall be grounds for forfeiture of your Ticket or Credential without refund, and prohibition from attending future USGA Championships.”
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The USGA had to intervene to control the situation. Local police were called in to eject the disruptive spectators from the grandstands. What Clark faced this week, though, has been sadly reminiscent of the reaction to the Europeans during the Ryder Cup last year at Bethpage Black. Hecklers threw a drink at Rory McIlroy and his wife on the course.
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McIlroy admitted afterwards that he “chirped back a few times because it got up to me.” In fact, the PGA had to bring in additional state troopers to manage fan behavior across the week.
This time, the USGA also sold fewer tickets than past editions of the event. However, that did not stop the rest of the fans in the championship from showing loud behavior towards Clark.
Spectators could be heard shouting, “Canada hates you.” It was a reference to Clark arriving at the previous week’s RBC Canadian Open wearing a USA hockey jersey. Fans chanted ‘Get in a bunker,’ ‘Miss the green,’ ‘Don’t choke, Wyndham,’ and ‘Crash and burn.’ Unfortunately, the disrespectful hostility did not start on the final round on Sunday. Even on Saturday, fans did not shy away from taking a dig at his U.S. Open 2025 meltdown.
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They further called, “Bad day to be a locker, Wyndham,” as he walked past the back nine. Verbal backlash was not the only form of disrespect Wyndham had to endure. Every time he made a mistake, he hit a green; the crowds cheerfully booed him down, at the same time cheering for Scottie Scheffler.
As the pressure kept on mounting during the final rounds when Clark was chasing Sam Burns, the crowd grew louder. As his ball was rolling over the green at the 13th, fans shouted, “Go,” as he rolled past the hole. They, in fact, went on to give a mini roar when he missed a par putt.
Brandel Chamblee also added, “To be able to put that out of your head when you’re trying to win a U.S. Open, you’re trying to control your nerves, and to try to put that out of your head, I’ve never seen anybody have to deal with that element in a major championship to the extent that I saw Wyndham have to deal with it today.”
Clark, much to his credit, did not let that affect his composure as he went on to lift the trophy and make historic records.
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“They definitely didn’t want me to win. That was tough, but I also like it,” Clark admitted. “Sometimes being the underdog is nice. I was ’23, and I kind of did the same thing. Anytime someone had said something negative to me, I replaced it with something positive. Some of it is self-deserved; I kind of brought it on myself, but I also get it, too. Scottie was going for a career Grand Slam, and it hasn’t happened very often. I’m proud of myself that I battled through. I stood tough. I would have liked to have won by more, but as long as you win, it doesn’t matter.”
Brandel Chamblee is not the only voice highlighting the seriousness of the issue. Golf analyst Eamon Lynch has also condemned the behavior, arguing that venues and organizers must take a firmer stance. He even said, directed to a New York audience, “These people don’t deserve a major championship.” Other prominent figures like Kevin Kisner and Scottie Scheffler have similarly spoken out against such conduct.
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The post ‘The Worst I’ve Ever Seen’: Brandel Chamblee Issues Scathing Verdict on Wyndham Clark’s Mistreatment at U.S Open appeared first on EssentiallySports. Add EssentiallySports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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