LOS ANGELES – Wyndham Clark had a secret weapon waiting for him in a sweater with the word “Golf”, written across the front.
Julie Elion, Clark’s mental trainer, is working her magic once again. She’s helping a gifted athlete who couldn’t break free of his own path to reach the winners’ circle.
Clark’s breakout season on the PGA Tour continues on Friday at Los Angeles Country Club. He followed up an opening round 64 with a three-under 67 during the second round of 123 rd U.S. Open.
Clark, 29, began working with Elion in January. Elion is known for his work with Phil Mickelson as well as helping Jimmy Walker to win a major. Max Homa praised her after he won Farmers Insurance Open, in January. Elion is a private person – her nickname on Tour, Stealth – but she did agree to state on record that Clark was “the hardest worker” she had ever worked with.
Clark’s daily goals, meditating and praying are all part of his work. Clark’s caddie John Ellis encouraged his boss to talk to Elion, as did Clark’s agent Rob Mougey. He said she had helped to “simplify” things for Clark. Clark was winless in Tour this year, despite being gifted.
Ellis explained, “In this game you are always losing, and you always look ahead. So she told us to make just three small goals.” “Simplify things, right?”
When asked about Clark’s three goals he scored on Friday at a major championship in the United States, Ellis replied, “He did great. But you’ll have ask him exactly what they were.”
Now leading the #USOpen…@Wyndham_Clark! pic.twitter.com/kjWNFn1z2f
U.S. Open Golf (@usopengolf). 16 June 2023
Clark told reporters at his press conference after the round, “Pretty straightforward.” “For me, I just wanted to have fun on a beautiful course. It was to be arrogant out there.
What about the third? He said, “I was just reminding myself of my first two goals.” “Those were my three goals. I thought that if I could achieve them and maintain a positive mindset, the golf would be taken care of by itself.”
Clark was feeling confident after lofting his ball high into the air above a bunker at 12 feet. The shot may be remembered as one of championship’s most impressive rescue shots. He cashed in on the birdie putt that Ellis called “stealing.”
Clark said of his third shot, a risky one at par 5, “If I miss it, then maybe bogey.” “I put bogey in play, but thought I had an excellent chance of getting the ball up and down or at least on the putting area. Out of 100? “I had a good lie. I would say that I would get 70 or 80 points out of 100.
Clark was so enthused that he laughed before he made a 45-foot putt for a birdie at 16. He explained later why.
“I laughed with my caddie, because I had hit that putt three or four different times in practice, on different days. Then we played a putting competition with Luke List, Adam Schenk and other players and I misread the disc every time,” he remembered. “So I played like a foot left and I would miss it four inches left. As we walked up I said, “At least we know the putt. It’s about a foot left, right?” He asks, “What do you see?” My caddie laughed and said, “I’m not reading this. You read it.” “I’m not looking at this, you’re reading it.” I replied. He said, “You played about 16 inches on the right.” We laughed because I had done nothing but hit the putt.
Clark may have been a mental midget, but he lacked the mentality to close out a deal. He complained to Ellis about how he’d missed too many opportunities to win his first Tour title. Clark missed many opportunities, including failing to convert at the 2019 Puerto Rico Open and losing a playoff at 2020 Butterfield Bermuda Championship. He also failed to close out the Zurich Classic in April as the 54 hole leader, which was a team event. Last month, at the Wells Fargo Championship in Charlotte, the golfer finally got rid of the monkey on his back. He won by four strokes in a designated tournament at Quail Hollow Golf Club, a course which has hosted majors.
“Winning any tournament is a big deal for me. And that particular one felt like a major,” Clark said. Clark has now improved to number 32 in the world. “I just feel like I can compete with the best players in the world and I think of myself as one of them,” said Clark, who has improved to No. “I feel I can compete with some of the best players around the world, and I consider myself one of them.”
After a 67, Clark will have a tee-time at the U.S. Open on Saturday after shooting a 64. Clark will likely spend the time between rounds with Elion, who is his mental game Sensei. He’ll also continue to work towards his daily goals.
Mougey said, Clark’s representative, who was the first to call Elion to introduce Clark to Clark, “He has so many tools in this toolbox.” He’s really embraced the mental aspect of the game. He’s in it with her, and that’s one of the reasons he has been so successful this year.”
