Oakmont bans former US Open champion Wyndham Clark for damaging locker
OAKMONT, Pa. (AP) — Former U.S. Open champion Wyndham Clark won't be allowed back at Oakmont Country Club until he pays to fix the locker he damaged and gets counseling for his anger.
Golf Digest obtained a letter that club president John Lynch sent to Oakmont members this week about the incident during last month's U.S. Open, when Clark smashed up his locker out of frustration. Media were not allowed in the locker room, but a photo was leaked and went viral.
'Following multiple discussions with the USGA and the OCC Board, a decision has been made that Mr. Clark will no longer be permitted on OCC property,' Lynch said in the letter.
'Reinstatement would be contingent upon Mr. Clark fulfilling a number of specific conditions, including full repayment for damages, a meaningful contribution to a charity of the Board's choosing, and the successful completion of counseling and/or anger management sessions.'
Clark received a 10-year exemption for winning the U.S. Open at Los Angeles Country Club in 2023. The exemption ends in 2033, the next time Oakmont is to host the U.S. Open. The storied club has held the U.S. Open nine times, the most of any U.S. Open site.
Clark said a week later at the Travelers Championship that 'I made a mistake that I deeply regret' and he was sorry.
'But I'd also like to move on, not only for myself but for Oakmont, for the USGA, and kind of focus on the rest of this year and things that come up,' he said.
Last week at the Scottish Open he told reporters that he had turned the page. According to Oakmont, he has offered to pay for repairs.
'Yeah, I mean, I made a mistake in a moment of rage with a bad year and everything coming together and it just was more than anything a good wake-up call for me to say, 'Hey, you know what, let's get back on track and things aren't that bad,'' Clark said.
Clark, who reached as high as No. 3 in the world last year, has only one top 10 on the PGA Tour in the 2025 season. He has dropped to No. 28 in the world, No. 22 in the Ryder Cup standings and at No. 78 in the FedEx Cup is in danger of missing the postseason.
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AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf
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