Wyndham Clark admits he must improve his form over the coming months if he’s to have the chance to represent Team USA and inflict ‘revenge’ on Team Europe at the Ryder Cup this September.
The former US Open champion was part of the side beaten 16.5-11.5 by Team Europe in Rome in 2023, a seventh consecutive away loss for the United States in the biennial contest, with Clark then representing Team USA at the Olympics and the Presidents Cup last season.
Clark is without a win since the 2024 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and has registered just one top 10 on the PGA Tour so far this year, leaving him currently outside the automatic qualification places to feature for Keegan Bradley’s side at Bethpage Black.
“I’ve been fortunate enough to be part of Team USA for three events now, Presidents Cup, Olympics, and Ryder Cup – but none of them have been played on US soil and none of them have I heard people really cheering for me,” Clark told the Sky Sports Golf podcast.
“It’s been more boos and stuff against me, so I really want to have that experience. I really love our captain, Keegan Bradley. He and I are pretty good buds, so I’m just happy for him and I think he’s going to do an amazing job.
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“I’m hoping I’m one of the 12 guys. Obviously, as of right now, I’ve probably got to play better golf to earn my spot, but I’m hoping I make it.”
Clark was Patrick Cantlay’s partner for the Saturday fourballs at Rome, where a final-hole victory sparked angry scenes on the 18th green that continued into the car park, before being sent out last in the Sunday singles.
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“I was really bummed that I was the 12th guy,” Clark added. “I mean yes, it could ultimately come down to my match, and – if we had a chance to come back – it would have.
“I also knew if things didn’t go well, no one’s watching me, and then it doesn’t matter. And it was exactly what happened. We had four or five holes to play. We had a good match going, Bob [MacIntyre] and I, and it was even. Then it’s like, ‘well, shoot, we just lost’.
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“The one thing that I dislike about the Ryder Cup is that there’s individual records. I don’t think that should be kept – I think it’s all about if you win or you don’t. It’s a team thing, so who cares about the individual part? But that’s just me going on a rant!
“It left a very sour taste in my mouth, losing, and I want revenge. It would be really fun to come home and kind of put a beat down like they did on us on home soil as well.”
More success to come for Clark?
Clark returns to action at the Wells Fargo Championship, the tournament he claimed his maiden PGA Tour title, while the PGA Championship a week later is held at the Quail Hollow Club – venue for his breakthrough success.
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“Quail Hollow is a very challenging, amazing golf course, and having my first PGA Tour win there is very dear to my heart,” Clark added. “It’s nice that I get a major at a place that I’ve had success at, so I’m really hoping I get some of those vibes.
“I feel like my game is trending in the right direction, so I just really hope I have my game that week because I know that golf course fits me well.”
Clark followed that win at the Wells Fargo Championship by claiming a maiden major title at the US Open a month later, where he came through a final-round tussle with Rory McIlroy to claim a one-shot victory at Los Angeles Country Club.
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“I think winning at Quail was the bigger stress of anything, to be honest,” Clark admitted. “Just getting that weight off my shoulders of finally breaking through and getting my first PGA Tour win, so that’s probably the biggest one.
“Then winning at LACC more just proved that ‘hey, I can be one of the best players in the world. I know I’m one of the best players in the world’ and then I went out and showed that I was. That was more of a huge confidence build rather than pressure relief.
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“Whether you’re trying to break through for your first win, whether you’re trying to get your first major, or you’re trying to do what Rory did and have a Grand Slam, there’s always pressure depending on who you are, and it’s just at different levels.
“When you finally fulfil that and win and do it, it’s a massive weight off your shoulders. Just all that hard work and blood, sweat, tears, it just all comes together.”
Listen to the full Wyndham Clark interview on the latest edition of the Sky Sports Golf podcast, hosted every week by Jamie Weir. Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Spreaker, while vodcast editions can be found on the Sky Sports Golf YouTube channel.
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