‘I’d like to move on’: Major champ keen to forget controversial US Open locker room incident
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People were calling for him to be banned after damning images of the Oakmont locker room did the rounds on social media…
Wyndham Clark has apologized for damage caused in the Oakmont locker room during the US Open.
A photo showing two broken locker doors was first shared by Tron Carter of No Laying Up shortly after the conclusion of the third round of the major.
In a previous post on X, Carter had written: “Multiple sources confirming that the Blow Pig really got after it in the Oakmont locker room.
“Super classy, desecrating one of the most historic spots in golf AND on the heels of his behavior at Quail Hollow. Probably time to put him in the cooler for a few months.”
“Blow Pig”, if you haven’t cracked the code yet, is referring to 2023 US Open champion Clark.
(Blow Pig. Wind Ham. Get it?)
And while the report wasn’t confirmed at the time, it was clearly Clark’s bag in the image.
Clark won the US Open at Los Angeles Country Club two years ago, but his major form has crumbled, with four missed cuts in eight starts and not a single top-30 in the others. He failed to make the weekend at Oakmont by a single shot and took out his frustration on the locker room.
He has now, though, come clean and issued an apology.
“I’ve had a lot of highs and lows in my career, especially this year some lows,” he said. “I made a mistake that I deeply regret. I’m very sorry for what happened.
“But I’d also like to move on, not only for myself but for Oakmont, for the USGA, and focus on the rest of this year and things that have come up.”
The incident led to several people on social media to call for the USGA to punish the three-time PGA Tour champion – with many saying a one-year ban from the US Open should suffice.
But among those leaping to his defence are 2010 champ Graeme McDowell.
“This is minimal [in] regards [to] what I’ve seen other players do,” the LIV golfer wrote.
“Players you would never expect. Oakmont will test any players mental fortitude. Seen it in person. Guess who?”
He then offered up one clue – “2016” – which those in the replies concluded meant Shane Lowry, who conceded a four-shot lead to allow Dustin Johnson to open his major account last time out at Oakmont.
McDowell later followed up “to clarify a couple of things”.
He wrote: “No, I do not condone that type of behavior and damaging property in historic sites like Oakmont. I’m sure Wyndham will pay for any damage and apologize to relevant people. I also believe sporting locker rooms are a sanctuary and what happens there, should stay there.
“The part when I said ‘guess who’ was unfair on my part because I would never out a fellow pro in that scenario. What happens in those private sporting areas is not for public consumption in my opinion.”
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