Tiger Woods was only 34 when his body started to betray him. His neck pain at the 2010 Players Championship forced a withdrawal. “I’ve been playing with a bad neck for quite a while,” he admitted then. Fast forward to 2025, and another talented golfer finds himself echoing similar sentiments. And the player this time is even younger. The concerning parallels between these stories highlight the brutal physical toll golf takes, even for those who are in their athletic prime.

Wyndham Clark, just 31, is now facing his own physical reckoning. The 2023 U.S. Open champion made a startling admission at the RBC Heritage this week. When discussing his ongoing injury troubles, Clark sighed, “I guess that’s old age, and I’m not even that old.” This candid statement reveals both frustration and resignation from a player still theoretically in his prime.

Clark’s recent physical struggles began at The Players Championship last month. He withdrew due to a neck injury after completing just nine holes of his second round. The problem then cascaded throughout his body. “It was neck at PLAYERS, then the following week it went into my shoulder,” he explained at Harbour Town.

This isn’t the first time injuries have derailed Clark’s momentum. In early 2024, he suffered a similar setback when he injured his lower back during a morning workout session. “It’s funny how it all kind of starts with the injury, and then it’s just a trickle effect,” he admitted on The Smylie Show podcast, explaining how that nagging issue had robbed him of power and consistency throughout his 2024 season.

The impacts have been significant for his playing schedule. Clark had to skip the TGL competition, where teammate Min Woo Lee replaced him. He also withdrew from the Houston Open despite previously planning to compete. Then came another setback when he thought he was recovering well.

“My body felt great last week, and then out of nowhere this happened,” Clark revealed. This unpredictability seems to be the most frustrating aspect for him. His body betrays him without warning. Clark described his back as one that “seems to always be good, and then it just goes out of nowhere.”

These physical limitations are now forcing adjustments to his game. The powerful swing that helped him claim major championship glory might need modifications. “I think I should be good going forward, I just have to swing a little slower and treat it nicely,” he admitted. The timing of these physical setbacks couldn’t be worse for Clark,

Wyndham Clark’s injury struggles are impacting his performances

Wyndham Clark remains winless since his 2023 U.S. Open triumph. His recent Masters performance illustrated his struggles, where he made the cut but finished a disappointing five-over par with putting woes. “I think I had nine three-putts this week, which is unprecedented for me,” he reflected after Augusta, though the actual count was seven.

Despite these challenges, Clark showed resilience at the RBC Heritage with solid ball-striking and crucial par saves. “I was hitting it really straight. I made a lot of great par putts,” he noted after his opening round. The mental strain adds another layer of difficulty as he deals with post-major championship expectations.

Clark now faces a delicate balancing act between managing his physical limitations and maintaining competitive form. His need to “swing a little slower” runs counter to golf’s power-focused modern approach. As he navigates this challenging period, the question remains whether he can adapt and overcome these obstacles to reclaim his winning ways.

What adjustments should professional golfers make to extend their careers in the physically demanding modern game? The answer may determine how long we get to enjoy watching talents like Wyndham Clark compete at the highest level.