Wyndham Clark, who called Pebble Beach his “favourite place in the world” gained his moment of glory there.
Semantics will eventually be forgotten, as Clark won his third career PGA TOUR championship at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and cemented his place in history in the process. It took one fewer round than anticipated.
The winner of the U.S. Open the previous year is now a champion at what is maybe the biggest stage in the game. After breaking the course record in the third round at Pebble Beach Golf Links, Clark led by one stroke going into the final round at 17-under 199. This proved to be the decisive factor as the final round was postponed on Sunday night due to severe storms that had pounded the Monterey Peninsula throughout the day.
Clark managed similar pressure on Saturday as he pursued a sub-60 score and the spectators grew, but he did not struggle with the nerves of back-nine contention on Sunday. He knew that the anticipation was building as the birdie putts kept falling. He had an eagle putt for 59 but missed it by a hair, and when he tapped in for 60, the audience stood. It was about what he could have anticipated following Sunday afternoon’s victory.
“Despite the fact that it was a Saturday, I had the distinct impression that I had won the event after making that two-putt. I believe that was the result of my breaking the course record. I received a standing ovation from everyone. Since it felt so much like the tournament was coming to a conclusion, I would have assumed that yesterday was Sunday, which is what made it so unusual and strange. That’s what made last night and today so special ; even though I still had one round left, it felt like I had won the tournament.” Clark stated on Sunday night following the official announcement of the victory.
It turns out that Clark didn’t require a second round (albeit at the time the result was far from assured). The final round was scheduled for late Sunday morning, but the TOUR announced that it would be moved to the next day because atmospheric river conditions have made Pebble Beach unplayable.
It turns out that Clark didn’t require a second round (albeit at the time the result was far from assured). The TOUR declared late on Sunday morning that the atmospheric river conditions had made Pebble Beach unplayable, and hence the final round would have to wait until the next day. With the idea that he would start things off on Monday, Clark passed the day playing ping-pong with an old friend and English teacher from Valour Christian High School in Colorado, Brian Kettler, a sophomore. He made breakfast, watched a movie, and played some gin. In order to evaluate the storm damage, he strolled around the neighbourhood. He made an effort to keep his thoughts focused.
The final round was therefore cancelled, it was announced soon after 6 p.m. local time on Sunday. After the competition was cut down to 54 holes, Clark had won his third PGA TOUR title in his career.
Unconventional perhaps, but certainly unforgettable.
It felt like a Sunday coming down 16, 17, and 18 at Pebble Beach. The excitement, the supporters, the sensations, the anxiety, and the packed stands were all present.
“I received a standing ovation and respect from everyone as I approached the green because I had played such a fantastic round. I don’t feel like I was duped at all because as I waved to the crowd and shook hands with the crowd, it felt like I had just won the tournament. I had shot 59, almost, but ended up shooting 60 and breaking the course record. The past 36 hours have been incredible.” Clark stated about his final few holes Saturday.
With his win at the second Signature Event of the season, Clark gains 700 FedExCup points and climbs to No. 3 on the FedExCup. With 3 Tour victories in the previous 9 months, the 30-year-old’s potentials are endless.
In the past, Pebble Beach Golf Links on the Monterey Peninsula has hosted celebrity tournament Saturdays, with stars such as Bing Crosby, Jack Lemmon, Bill Murray, and Ray Romano. Yes, it was amateur hour, but in the greatest kind of way. Hit, laugh, tell a few jokes, and joke around with the enormous galleries. On Sunday, the PGA TOUR pros would reclaim their stage, and everything would be well.
There has been a lot of change and improvement at Pebble this week, including a strong field of professionals. On Friday, at the inaugural Pebble Beach limited-field Signature Event, the stars tucked their sticks away. This time, however, the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am on Saturday at the renowned Pebble Beach was all about one man chasing history at one of the most historically significant locations in sports. And what a chase it was, too.
After winning the U.S. Open last summer, Wyndham Clark shot the 13th sub-60 round in PGA TOUR history. He had one of those enchanted, almost unbelievable days in the making. He was 10-under par through 11 holes and eventually stood over a 26-footer for eagle at the picturesque 18th hole.
Clark missed his third eagle of the day by a hair’s breadth and to the slight right. The fact that Clark’s 12-under-60 tournament score was the lowest ever recorded at the renowned courses served as some comfort. That wasn’t a bad deal at all. Four or more hours after walking off the first green in a tie for the 31st position, Clark was leading by three shots going into the last green, and he had a fantastic chance to add a second major victory won in California in a span of 8 months. He now leads by one stroke at 17-under 199 after 54 holes. Because of the inclement weather that is predicted for Sunday, it is unclear when or if the final round will take place.
“To be honest, it was bizarre. Having the opportunity to shoot 59 with that putt was very remarkable.” Clark said about the round.
Clark’s 12-under 60, which had 3 near-misses towards the end of the round and was highlighted by 2 early eagles in a record-setting opening-nine 28. At the par-4 16th, an 11-footer for birdie came up 2 inches short; at the 17th, a 14-footer for birdie after an 8-iron hole-high struck the brakes an inch short of the cup ; and at the last, his attempt at a third eagle of the day drifted off short of its goal. In the history of the PGA TOUR , twelve players have shot sub-60 rounds; Scottie Scheffler was the last to do so at TPC Boston (The Northern Trust) in 2020.
Clark’s 60 broke the four players’ shared tournament scoring record of 62 at Pebble Beach (Tom Kite, David Duval, Patrick Cantlay, and Matthias Schwab). It also shortened Pebble’s overall competitive course record of 61, which was set by Hurly Long of Texas Tech at the collegiate Carmel Cup in 2017. Clark set a record for the lowest putter distance on the round just under 190 feet ever since Pebble Beach has maintained such records.
In addition to his 5 putts of 25 feet or more, which included eagles and birdies, one of Clark’s most remarkable putts occurred on the par-3 12th hole for bogey. His third hole was a left-handed chip from an ungainly lie above the bunker. He made the 26-foot putt from the collar for 4 after the ball squirted over the green. He claimed he was only expecting to lag it close and escape with a double, not even aiming to make it.
“It was like, all right, man, I’m hot, for that to go in.” he said.
Clark arrived at Pebble Beach early in the week, carrying nine putters with him since he had been having trouble with his putting of late. Even more, he adopted a cross-handed grip, something he experimented with during the Hero World Challenge in December but hasn’t done consistently since his college days. Upon observing the 189-foot, 9-inch putts he sunk, he declares that it was the finest putting day of his career.
Clark was in a unique zone over his first nine holes after setting out early in an attempt to avoid the impending rain. The renowned Pebble Beach Golf Links offers for a quick start in the early going, and Clark took advantage of the coastal winds that were relaxing. The combined score of 28 strokes, the lowest front nine total at Pebble in more than 20 years since Brent Schwarzrock’s Round 1 of 2002, was the result of eagles at two par-5 holes (Nos. 2 and 6), a near-ace at the short seventh, and two lengthy birdie putts at Nos. 8 and 9.
While many find Pebble’s poa greens confusing and difficult, Clark was making progress like he was putting on a magic carpet, rolling in more than 150 feet of putts on just his first nine holes. His ferocious streak included putts of 30 and 28 feet for birdies to finish his nine holes, as well as a 39-footer for eagle at the second and a 42-footer at the sixth. After that, he added birdies at 10 and 11, finishing the day 10-under.
Clark, who turned thirty in December, just finished his best professional year. He won twice in 2023, his first major victory coming at the U.S. Open in Los Angeles. Playing on his first professional national team in September, Clark qualified for the Ryder Cup in Italy. His best result in his two outings this season was a T29 at Sentry, however he has shot 64 or lower twice in his two starts (The Sentry and The American Express).
Clark has played at the AT&T Pebble Beach four times; his best result to date is a 2020 tie for 18th place.
Clark stated that he wasn’t thinking about shooting 59 until he was eighteen and at the tee box. He hit a monster drive and, with a 4-iron, reached the green from 224 yards, possibly 26 feet away from his third birdie of the day. One day previously, at Pebble Beach, he had also made eagle-3 on 18.
“Although I haven’t shot 59, I would say that even if I did, it wouldn’t seem to compare to this number at one of the world’s most iconic golf courses.
I believe that in the past, I would have shot an excellent 8, 9 under by kind of coasting in. To me, the most impressive thing was being able to maintain mental aggression while keeping the pedal down. Of course, making all those putts was plainly abnormal at that point. It was really fantastic.” he said.
