Rickie Fowler and Rory McIlroy’s Crazy ‘Fan Support’ Charged Underdog Wyndham Clark to 1st Major Win, Full Swing S2 Reveals

It was a breezy evening at The Los Angeles Country Club when Rickie Fowler and Wyndham Clark entered the golf course at 5:30 p.m. ET. Clark and Fowler were tied at lead and Fowler had a bit of an advantage as he led the leaderboard for three consecutive days and wanted a little push to intimidate his opponent for his first major win.

The two were followed by Rory McIlroy, who was only one stroke away from the lead. The spectators were expecting the Northern Irishman to break his drought of majors as he last won in 2014 or Fowler to gain his maiden major victory. But through the favoritisms of the crowd, the underdog, Wyndham Clark, came out as the new star. The third episode of Netflix’s docu-series, “Full Swing” presents what happened at the LACC in the final hours of the 2023 U.S. Open.

Wyndham Clark shared that the lack of fans’ support pushed him to prove them wrong

When Rickie Fowler and Wyndham Clark were walking towards their tees, the crown inside the ropes roared for Fowler. The chants of “Rickie!”, “Come on, Rickie!”, “Go, Rickie!” were going all around. However, things were not going well for the crowd’s favorite. While Clark made a birdie on par-5 hole one, the 6-time PGA Tour winner made a par putt.

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Even then, the unnerving support of the fans was not dying. Moreover, McIlroy, who had started the game earlier than the two, was also expected to have his second U.S. Open. Henni Koyack (Golf broadcaster) claimed that Clark was an underdog, and everyone in and out of the greens was “pulling for Rickie Fowler or Rory McIlroy.” The one-time major winner said, “I probably had the least amount of fan support.” But that didn’t deter Clark from his end goal. Instead, it boosted his motivation. “It kinda gave me a chip on my shoulder,” said Clark.

Through all the cheering from the crowd, the Denver native had one thing in his mind. He said in the Full Swing series, “I wanted to prove them wrong and show them I’m the guy they should be rooting for.” Clark did exactly that. By the end of his 18th-hole par putt, the crowd had gathered to watch him make the putt and now, instead of Fowler, they applauded him. From being the least expected to win to making the crowd’s lack of support as his encouragement and letting his performance speak, Clark came a long way at the Los Angeles Country Club.

After his par-4 putt at the 72nd hole, Clark cried tears of joy, hugged his caddie John Ellis a thousand times, and looked at the sky as his mother and the anchor he had lost years ago watched him claim his major victory. But it couldn’t have been done without his caddie. Clark’s caddie, Ellis, played an important role, as he stopped him from spiraling down the shaky road when Clark missed a birdie putt.

John Ellis’s one advice that helped Wyndham Clark to win the U.S. Open 

Wyndham Clark had been struggling with mental health since the age of 19 as he lost his mother to breast cancer. At that point, he thought of leaving the sport of golf altogether. However, after consulting his sports psychotherapist, Julie Elion, on insisting of his caddie and close friends, Clark had the upper hand on his struggles.

However, when he made a bogey at par-5 8th hole at the 2023 U.S. Open, Clark was letting go of his dream and going down another rabbit hole of self-doubt. And just that moment, his caddie said, as Clark recalled, “‘Hey, Dub, we’re fine. We’re just going to get this up-and-down and we’re fine.'”

Just a few words, and Clark was back on his big game. That’s how he made only one birdie and two bogeys at the back but didn’t lose his cool and attained the 2023 U.S. Open title.

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