Wyndham Clark’s “Getting There” as a Pro

For most rookies, even uber-talented ones like Wyndham Clark, the learning curve on the PGA TOUR is steep.

By Matt Harness


The wait to tee off at No. 1 during last Monday’s pro-am before the PGA Tour’s John Deere Classic lasted at least 10 minutes. But Wyndham Clark and his caddie used the delay to their advantage, talking through the options on the 395-yard par 4 at TPC Deere Run in Silvis, Illinois. The safe play was straight ahead, but he wondered aloud if he could hit his driver over the left fairway bunker to cut off considerable yardage on the hole that bends to the left at an almost 90-degree angle.

Clark has had a lot of those conversations since turning pro after his standout college career concluded this spring. The John Deere was his third PGA Tour event — all on sponsor exemptions — and the third golf course he was seeing for the first time.

After a 1-over 72 in the first round, Clark eagled his second hole Friday to get under par. A birdie at the sixth moved him to 2 under to position him on the cut line. But bogeys on Nos. 11-13-14 dropped him down the leaderboard. Although he recorded back-to-back birdies to close out his round, Clark’s 69 was one stroke on the wrong side of playing the weekend.

For most rookies, even uber-talented ones like Clark, the learning curve is steep. His PGA Tour debut came June 22 at the Travelers Championship, where he shot 78-74 to miss the cut by 11. The following week at the Quicken Loans National he earned his way to the weekend by recording rounds of 72-70. He then posted 71-73 to tie for 51st and receive his first paycheck ($16,933.50).

“The first week I definitely didn’t know quite what to do, how to plan my days,” he said. “But the difference between the first and second tournament was huge. I had a better idea of what I was going to do, and I felt more comfortable. That allowed me to be more successful.”

Since a young age, the 23-year-old Highlands Ranch native has enjoyed success, and he’s in no way intimidated walking the same fairways as major champions. This spring, as a redshirt senior at University of Oregon, he won the Pac-12  Championship at Boulder Country Club. He was the conference’s Player of the Year,  one of three finalists for the Ben Hogan Award and a semifinalist for the NCAA Division I Jack Nicklaus Player of the Year.

“Golf is golf, and I don’t see any separation or difference between my game and the top players out here,” he said. “It’s a matter of me being comfortable. I’m starting to get there.”

PAC-12 Champion Oregon DUcks
Wyndham Clark (center, with trophy) celebrates at Boulder Country Club with the PAC-12 Champion Oregon Ducks Kevin Geniza, Edwin Yi, Sulman Raza, Norman Xiong, Ryan Gronlund, Head Coach Casey Marin and Assistant Coach John Ellis.

Oregon men’s golf coach Casey Martin knows from experience the challenges of life as a pro golfer. Martin competed 161 events on both the PGA Tour and Web.com Tour from 1998-2005, including 29 tournaments on the PGA Tour in 2000.

“It’s a grind, and there are a lot of things that take you out of your comfort zone,” Martin said. “It can be stressful. When you play well, the beds you sleep in don’t matter. When you’re missing cuts, those things start to get to you.”

But Martin said Clark has the tools to make a living on tour.

“He has the talent, and he’s determined,” Martin said. “He’s a relentless and tireless worker. He will not stop working until he gets it right.”

What’s more, Martin said Clark is “all in” on his career choice.

“I don’t think he has a Plan B,” Martin added.

While Clark has status on the Mackenzie Tour, a Canadian-based subset of the PGA Tour, he said he has no plans on playing any of its events right now. Instead, he will exhaust all of his options to get into PGA Tour and Web.com tournaments. He has secured two more PGA Tour sponsor exemptions — RBC Canadian Open, Barracuda Championship — and will attempt to Monday qualify for other PGA Tour and Web.com events.

As for a timetable on when Clark will be a card-carrying member of the PGA Tour, there is none, he said.

“It’s not realistic to put pressure on myself this early,” he said. “I am learning lessons that I hope will prepare me for the future. I have the mindset that if it takes me two, three or four years to get out here full time, then that’s OK.

“Everybody has their own road.”

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