They say overconfidence is bad! It sure is. Who can affirm this saying better than golf’s very own Wyndham Clark? Why? Well, because of what went down at Augusta, and now again at Valhalla. Friday’s round of the 106th PGA Championship was suspended because of darkness. A few golfers completed their 18 holes, and the fate of a few was also decided. Renowned pros like Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods and the reigning US Open winner, Wyndham Clark, won’t be continuing in the tournament. The top pros after their second-round finish sit at T116, T132, and T116, respectively. They missed cuts, and that too by a lot. Clark’s words have surely backfired for him.

Following the first round of the 2024 Masters, Clark finished eight shots behind then-leader Bryson DeChambeau. Although it seemed like a rough start, the 30-year-old remained confident after going three under on the front nine, then giving back four shots on the back nine to finish with a 1-over 73. After the round, the 2023 U.S. Open champ took a jab at LIV Golf and DeChambeau and said, “You know we’ve got 54 holes left to play. In LIV Golf, they only play 54, so I like my chances. We’ve got a lot of golf left, and, as you can see, someone shot seven-under. I can do that tomorrow.”

Even though Clark was confident about performing well on Friday, things didn’t go as planned. In the second round, he shot a 6-over 78 and ultimately missed the cut by one shot. Meanwhile, DeChambeau continued until the final round and stunned everyone. His astonishing birdie on the 18th on Saturday after hitting the fairway is not easily forgettable. The LIV golfer finished at T6 in the Augusta showdown and captivated hearts with his performance.

Now, at Valhalla, the story seems to be repeating! One day 1, Clark shot par.  Thanks to 3 bogeys, and 3 birdies. Then on Friday, he carded six bogeys, including a double bogey on the par-5 7th hole, mixed with three birdies to finish with a 4-over 75. His total score of 4-over placed him at T116. On the contrary, DeChambeau on Thursday shot 3 under par. He shot 6 under on Friday, thanks to his 7 birdies, and 1 bogey. The LIV golfer entered the weekend at 9-under, just three shots off the lead held by Xander Schauffele.

DeChambeau is currently the highest-placed player among the 11 LIV players projected to make the cut at Valhalla. As Clark’s journey in the tournament has concluded, several other prominent pros have surprisingly missed the cut. One young golf prodigy who everyone was looking forward to, especially after his stunning Masters run, has sadly also not been able to make his major dreams come true.

How did the Swedish PGA Tour pro get out of the Wanamaker race?

The Swedish golfer Ludvig Aberg is sadly out of the race. He was returning to the greens after missing the Wells Fargo Championship because of the knee issues he has been facing. He was excited for his first-ever PGA Championship. “I was at home making sure that I was going to be ready for this week, prepare myself the best way I could, and then be ready to play here. Obviously, I’m still doing a lot of firsts when I’m playing these tournaments. Obviously, this week is my first PGA Championship and only my second major. I’m feeling all these things that first-timers do, and it’s the same thing for me. So I try to focus on the golf,” said Aberg.

He began the year impressively, consistently finishing in the top 10 in over five events on the PGA Tour. He secured a T10 position at the RBC Heritage and emerged as the sole runner-up at the Masters. Even at Valhalla, Aberg was tantalizingly close to making the cut, sitting at T80 with an even-par score of 142 after two rounds. However, things took a sour turn for the golfer in the tournament, as he finished at T81. It could be possible that his hurting knee did not allow him to give his best on the greens, and now, to fulfill his major dream, he has to wait for the US Open. Stay tuned to EssentiallySports for the latest updates on the 2024 PGA Championship.