US Open: As the 123rd US Open Championship came to a close on Father’s Day, Wyndham Clark’s thoughts drifted to his late mother, whom he dedicated his first major championship to.
Clark’s mother Lise died of breast cancer in 2013 at the age of 54, telling her son before she died that she wanted him to ‘play large,’ a phrase Clark says has resonated with him ever since.
The relatively unknown American, who won his first PGA Tour event at Wells Fargo in May, held off Rory McIlroy by one stroke at Los Angeles Country Club to win his first major championship.
“I just felt like my mum was watching over me today,” Clark remarked after winning.
“She can’t be here – I miss you, mum – but I just feel like I’ve worked so hard for this moment and dreamed about it for so long.
“I’ve imagined myself here in front of you guys, winning this championship so many times. I just felt it was my time.”
“She called me ‘winner’ when I was little, so she would just say, ‘I love you, winner,'” Clark later told reporters. She lived by the phrase ‘play big.’
“I know my mother is pleased with me. She’s always been proud of me, no matter how or what I’m doing.
“All I really want is for my mum to be here so I can hug her and we can celebrate together.
“She was such a positive and motivator in everything she did.” She’d be shedding happy tears.”
Clark held a three-shot lead with four holes to play on Sunday, with McIlroy hanging over his shoulder in second, only to have that advantage trimmed to one after back-to-back bogeys.
But the 29-year-old kept his nerve to par the last two holes and finish one stroke ahead of McIlroy, who only made one birdie all day.
“I hit some great shots coming down at the end,” Clark said. “Despite the fact that I made a couple of bogeys and it appeared that the rails were coming off, I was pretty calm on the inside. I’m quite delighted with how I did.
“Coming down on 17 and 18, I hit some great shots.” I felt like I did my best to keep my emotions in check until the green on 18.
“It hasn’t hit me yet. Walking up 18 was an emotional experience.”
For golf tournament, golf live score, golf championship, all golf today, latest golf live, daily golf today, US Open, latest golf live today and other golf news follow Livematchupdates.com.
