Wyndham Clark has insisted that golf tournaments must continue to be played in New York despite the intense heckling he faced during the US Open this past week.
There is no question that the relationship between Clark and the galleries was one of the main storylines from the third major of the year.
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Many of those in attendance at Shinnecock Hills did not want to see the 32-year-old win the US Open. Unfortunately, they let him know that throughout the tournament, particularly on Sunday.
It is not the first time in the last 12 months that a high-profile golf event has been overshadowed by the behaviour of those in the crowds.
Wyndham Clark says whether New York should continue to host golf events
The 2025 Ryder Cup was a brutal experience for many of those on the European team. Rory McIlroy dealt with an incredible amount of abuse during the event.
The Ryder Cup was said to be much worse than the US Open. Nevertheless, Eamon Lynch claimed on the Golf Channel this week that the PGA Championship should be taken away from Bethpage.
Photo by Tracy Wilcox/PGA TOUR via Getty Images
When asked on The Rich Eisen Show about whether the reaction to him would have been different elsewhere, Clark insisted that New York must not be blacklisted.
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“I disagree. I think New York’s one of our best cities in the world, especially in the US. And I think the fans are passionate. They love their city, they love our country,” he said.
“I was a little shocked they were rooting against me. I’m an American. Boy, I played on the Ryder Cup team, I was in the Olympics. So I love all the same things. But you know what, they’re just passionate. I think tournaments here in the future is necessary, it’s a need, just maybe they start rooting for people or rooting for success than maybe against people. So I think golf needs to always be in New York.”
What the New York crowds did not manage to do at the Ryder Cup or the US Open
Clark is on the charm offensive. He has spoken several times in recent months about wanting to win the public over again after some of his actions have come in for heavy criticism.
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So he is obviously not going to criticise the spectators, even if he is more than entitled to.
There is definitely a line. The PGA Tour is not going to attract the casual fans with events held at soulless venues with incredibly flat crowds. But that does not mean that constantly heckling players is acceptable.
What is interesting is that the two villains, in the eyes of the spectators, have come out on top. Europe ended up winning the Ryder Cup after a stunning performance over the first two days.
Meanwhile, Clark managed to just about get across the line at Shinnecock Hills.
So if those spectators had wanted to prevent Clark from winning, perhaps the best approach would have been to give him absolutely no fuel whatsoever.
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