Wyndham Clark was unsure of how he would be received upon his return to Karsten Creek. Clark left Oklahoma State’s golf program and transferred to Oregon, where he led the Ducks all the way to the NCAA Finals.
Anyone in golf has been embracing a connection to Clark since Sunday. The new U.S. Open champ. Clark, a young golfer who was trying to break onto the PGA Tour last fall, wondered if he would be persona non grata at Stillwater.
Clark was invited to OSU’s annual 50 th Pro-Am by Cowboy Coach Alan Bratton, which is a fundraiser and reunion of the grand tradition.
Last fall, Clark told OSU’s publicist Ryan Cameron that he was “yes !’,””. “I’ve wanted to come for the past few years. I didn’t really know how the atmosphere would be with me. As soon as Coach made that possible, I wanted to get involved. “I wanted to be there.”
Clark is the only Cowboy to have won one of the four majors in golf. The first was Bob Tway who won the PGA Championship back in 1986.
Even before the magic weekend in Los Angeles Country Club, OSU had claimed Clark and Clark had claimed the Cowboys.
It’s like Jalen Hutton, the quarterback superstar who is legitimately owned by both Alabama AND OU.
Clark had a great season in Oregon. Clark was the Pac-12 Player of the Year, the All-American and the Duck’s only winner in Oregon’s 3-1-1 loss against the Sooners at the 2017 NCAA Finals.
Clark did also great things during his second OSU year. He was All-American and Big 12 Player of the Year. And he was the Cowboy who won the 4-1 loss OSU suffered to Alabama in 2014 NCAA finals.
Clark’s first years in Stillwater Mike McGraw, then OSU’s golf coach, saved his career.
Grief-stricken golfer
Clark was shocked to learn that Lise, his mother, had been diagnosed with cancer just before starting his first semester. Clark and his mom were close. The former Miss New Mexico took her son, who was 3 years old, to Cherry Hills Country Club near Denver.
Clark’s father eventually took over golf mentoring but Lise continued to encourage Clark with text messages and notes.
Just before Clark left Stillwater for his freshman year at Stillwater, he found out that his mother’s cancer was back.
Clark was a mess of emotions. He kept his emotions in check when he was not playing golf. During competitions, however, his emotions overtook him. He started breaking clubs and walking away from the course.
Clark lost his cool in his first fall event at Olympia Fields, outside Chicago. He was eight or seven strokes over par during the five holes, otherwise he could have won. The Cowboy assistant coach Brian Guetz saw an even worse outburst at Jack Nicklaus Muirfield Village, in Columbus, Ohio. McGraw was alerted that the behavior “looked unnatural”, McGraw said.
McGraw took action. He advised Clark to step aside from the competition. Counsel him for his sadness. Clark initially didn’t agree with the advice, but eventually accepted it.
Randall Clark, Wyndham Clark’s father said, “I will never be able repay him.” Because he was a second dad to my son.
McGraw, who is now the golf coach for Baylor University, stated, “I knew that something was not right about him. He didn’t seem comfortable. “It was difficult to watch.”
Clark would get enraged over a shot which didn’t deserve rage.
McGraw stated, “The golf was still important to him. Maybe it mattered too little, I don’tknow.” It’s impossible that anyone would be so angry about that shot. “He was struggling.”
Clark wrote McGraw an email, admitting that he was not in the best mental state.
McGraw added, “But he did say a lot that was troubling.” “I am a burden on the team. I can’t handle anything.”
McGraw told Clark Stillwater would be the best place for him. However, he would facilitate a transfer to another team if it would help.
McGraw said that it didn’t matter which way Clark went, “if these problems aren’t addressed, moving to a different venue won’t help.” I believe I can help. It’s time for you to be mentally healthy. I know I can. You are too good to not be able to play great golf.
McGraw told Clark that Clark had cleaned his locker three times and was preparing to leave. McGraw took Clark back to his house all three times.
Clark redshirted the remainder of his first year and played as a practice player. He found solace in a Christian counsellor. Clark’s demeanor improved, and his game returned.
On August 2, Lise died from breast cancer aged 55. Wyndham Clark finished tied for ninth at the U.S. two and a half weeks later. Amateur stroke play.
McGraw was no longer at OSU by then. He had been fired, despite having led the Cowboys team to the 2006 NCAA Championship.
Clark was a great coach for the Cowboys when he returned to Stillwater. Bratton was McGraw’s assistant and had been promoted to head coach. McGraw, with Bratton’s permission, stayed in touch with Clark and said that there were still dark days for Clark.
Clark’s performance deteriorated in his third and fourth OSU season. In 2016, Clark was no longer a part of the Cowboys five-man line up.
Clark made the decision that he wanted a new start. He was still agitated, but his emotions didn’t come out.
Bratton stated that there is no manual for such a situation.
He was a perfectionist when it came to his golf. He was one of those guys who could only see his own faults, and not the flaws in others’ games.
Clark moved to Oregon, where he had a successful season. Ducks coach Casey Martin has become a mentor.
“I had the best year of college in Oregon. But it was mainly due to my ability to go, and no one knew about my past or what happened with my mother,” Clark said, writing for okstate.com.
Clark’s professional career has seen a steady increase. Clark earned his PGA Tour Card for the 2018 Season, and then finished 16 th in the money list. Clark lost in a playoff at the Bermuda Championship 2020. In May, Clark finally broke through by winning the Wells Fargo Championship at Charlotte. Last Sunday, he and fellow Cowboy Rickie fowler were paired in the final duo. They beat Rory McIlroy by one shot.
The U.S. Open champion was the player who, a decade ago, was tearing clubs and storming courses.
Karsten’s Return
Last autumn, when Clark drove past the gates at Karsten Creek, memories of his childhood flooded in.
Clark said, “It was surreal to see people and faces I hadn’t seen for a long time, and walk through the clubhouse and smell the aromas. It felt like I never left.” It was good to be back.
Clark, who graduated from Oregon in 2010, said, “My college experience was here. All of my memories of college, including the golf games, tailgating, football, and the fun things we did other than golf, were all here.” When I think about my college experience, Oklahoma State is the first place that comes to mind.
The Cowboys have won the 2018 NCAA Championship, played in Karsten. Clark admitted that he felt chills when OSU won the championship.
Bratton stated, “He has always had a huge talent.” “Big heart. “Plays with lots of emotion, both good and bad. It was a great skill set.
“Millions of people have poured themselves into him.” His faith is very strong. Many people, both at home and at OSU – whether they were coaches, teammates, or friends – found him easy to cheer for.
Bratton recalled that Clark sent him a message while he attended Oregon University, expressing his displeasure at a golf team ripping off Pistol Pete’s logo.
Bratton also sent Clark, on Monday, a picture of the wall at Karsten Creek, which honors OSU alumni’s greatest victories. He noted that it was in need of an update.
Clark replied by saying that he is proud to be on this wall.
The Cowboys are home to a U.S. Open winner.
