This week in Tour Confidential, we discuss Wyndham Clark's U.S. Open victory, Rory McIlroy's latest close call, LACC reviews and more.
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Check in every week for the unfiltered opinions of our writers and editors as they break down the hottest topics in the sport, and join the conversation by tweeting us @golf_com. This week, we discuss Wyndham Clark’s U.S. Open championship, Rory McIlroy’s latest close call, LACC reviews and more.
Wyndham Clark held off a couple of fan favorites in Rory McIlroy and Rickie Fowler to win his first major, the U.S. Open at Los Angeles Country Club. Clark won his first PGA Tour title last month at the Wells Fargo but is still not a player with whom many fans are familiar. What most impressed you about how he handled himself and his game this week?
Jessica Marksbury, senior editor (@Jess_Marksbury): That short game. Wow! On the few occasions when it looked like Clark was in trouble, he came through with some incredible up and downs. Bogey save at 8. Par saves at 9 and 11. He was never flustered, just businesslike and in the moment. His composure was aspirational, and I think it was what truly won the day.
Josh Sens, senior writer (@JoshSens): Agreed. Another way to say it is that he never compounded a physical mistake with a mental error. His trouble on 8 was a good example. When he tried hacking out of the junk with his third and the ball went nowhere, you could see his frustration. But almost as quickly, you saw him gather himself and limit the damage. That was a huge moment and emblematic of how he carried himself all week.
Alan Bastable, executive editor (@alan_bastable): What most impressed me? That he won! On Sunday mornings at the majors, we press-tent “sharpies” look right past guys like Clark. This tournament was Rory’s to lose, or Scheffler’s to snatch — or maybe, just maybe Fowler would find a way to get it done. But untested, unproven Clark? Nah, surely he’d wilt under the white-hot spotlight. Jess is right — his chipping was something to behold. Whenever he missed a green, his wedge seemed to save him.
Zephyr Melton, assistant editor (@zephyrmelton): I was most impressed by his moxie. From the time he let out that ferocious club twirl on 18 last night, he had a certain look in his eyes that the other players just didn’t. Sure, he made some mistakes on Sunday, but he never looked out of his element. Although those in chase were major champs, Clark had the most poise of anyone in the final round.
Ryan Barath, senior equipment editor (@RDSBarath): Wyndham played his game and stuck to his plan. He relied heavily on his go-to fade and it worked perfectly down the stretch. Also, it’s hard not to talk about how well his short game and putting held up on Sunday considering how many other players around him had trouble on the greens.
Jack Hirsh, assistant editor (@JR_HIRSHey): I have to piggyback off Jess here: his short game on Sunday was incredible when he needed it most. His up and downs on 1, 6, 9, 11 and 17 when the pressure was highest was the type of stuff that should win you a major. Not to mention his up and down after finally taking two shots to hack out of the junk on 8. That could have been a big number and it ended up being just a bogey.
A resurgent Rickie Fowler started the final round tied for the lead with Clark but faded from contention with a five-over 75. Given where Fowler’s game has been in recent years, it’s hard not to look at his U.S. Open as anything but a success, but what’s your overall assessment of his week?
Marksbury: I really thought the stars were aligning for Fowler, but he seemed a little flat right from the start. Golf is so, so hard, especially a U.S. Open. And Rickie was carrying so much weight in expectation and fan adulation. Going wire-to-wire was a big ask. Still, such an awesome thing to see him in contention again. Definitely a positive, and luckily we still have another major to look forward to in the Open Championship, where he’s shined in the past.
Sens: You could look at it either way. As a sign of further progress or a crushing disappointment. The important thing will be how it sits with Fowler himself. Based on how he has handled himself during recent struggles, I suspect he’ll focus on the positives, doubling down on what he did to put himself in contention while trying to figure out what went awry on what was, let’s face it, a huge downer of a final round.
Melton: I think the week was ultimately a disappointment. Yes, getting back into contention is all well and good, but no one gets to the Hall of Fame with moral victories. Chances like these don’t come around often, so letting this one slip away has to hurt.
Bastable: Tough but fair, Z-Man! Major-title chances don’t grow on trees (unless you’re Rory) so you absolutely need to make the most of every one of them, no matter your past struggles. I will say it was fun to see Fowler in contention again. I walked nine holes with him Friday and he seemed in total command of his ballstriking. His father, Rod, told me that Butch Harmon has been a savior for Rickie — not just in terms of finessing his mechanics but also strengthening his mind. No doubt they’ll rehash this Sunday together, break down what went wrong and build on it.
Barath: Although Sunday wasn’t his day, Rickie proved that he can still hang at the top of major championship leaderboards. As a gear nerd, the one thing that stuck out down the stretch was how close his ball speed was to other players in the last few groups. Is he still one of the longest on Tour? No. But the modern game is so much about speed and he still has plenty of it, and I expect him to snag another win soon.
Hirsh: I think this week was great for Fowler winning on Tour again, but if he didn’t get it done today, I just don’t see him rallying to win a major in his career. That run in the early part of his time as a pro as one of the game’s elite putters has come and gone and that will always be the strength of his game. He can’t win majors without putting lights out all four rounds. His ball-striking has made great strides with his work with Butch again and it’s only a matter of time before he finds the winner’s circle, it just probably won’t be a major. I hope he proves me wrong.
Another major, another close-but-no-cigar week for Rory McIlroy. What stood out about this near-miss that was different from the ones that have preceded it?
Marksbury: For me, it was the fact that McIlroy stayed in it right to the end. Several of his top 10s have come from epic Sunday charges when he was never really in contention. This time, he was hanging around the whole time, and really battled. It was great to see, though it must be massively frustrating for him. That fifth major is coming though, I know it!
Sens: Much was made about him taking a more conservative approach, and I think there’s a lot to that — he avoided the disaster holes that have been his undoing in some other big events. But he also got away with a couple of very poor shots in crucial moments — that wedge into the bunker face on 14, for instance, and that wild hook off the tee on 17. He was fortunate in both cases. Otherwise we might have been talking about his closing stretch in a very different way.
Melton: It didn’t feel all that much different from St. Andrews. It started with a few missed opportunities early and by the back nine we were all counting holes and begging for putts to drop. A different verse of the same song.
Bastable: Right again, Zeph — Rory said as much after his round. It was Old Course 2.0. He didn’t make any major gaffes but also never applied any real pressure on Clark, just as he didn’t make Cameron Smith sweat in St. Andrews. One lonely birdie when you’re chasing? Not good enough. On to Liverpool we go.
Barath: Once again Rory nearly walked away with a win, even after having a very so-so putting week. His swing has found a groove and I believe he has shown that he has taken his game to a new gear in the last month as he tries to hunt down his fifth major win. As Jessica said, he stuck around right to the end and only lost to one player.
Hirsh: Agree with Zephyr too, this felt exactly like the Old Course. It also felt a lot like the last two weeks with McIlroy tying the lead on the first two holes only to never make a serious charge the rest of the day. His putter has really betrayed him the last few weeks on Sundays. It’s really painful to keep watching it, but I really think he wants it more than anyone else, especially after his comments Sunday evening. That definitely counts for something. I think I might pick him for Hoylake.
This U.S. Open represented a coming-out party of sorts for the Gil Hanse-restored North Course at LACC. The players offered mixed reviews — with some praising the course for rewarding creative shotmaking and others bemoaning sloping fairways where tee shots congregated in the same spots. What was your read on how the course performed as a U.S. Open test?
Marksbury: It felt like a tale of two courses: the opening round, and the weekend. I am not one of those “protect par at all costs” people, so I wasn’t really bothered by the ultra-low scores at the beginning. I think the players are better judges than I am, watching from home, so if they were bothered by it, there’s probably good reason. But I certainly enjoyed the downtown LA vistas and real estate eye candy. And at the end of the day, 10 under won, and that sounds about right for a U.S. Open.
Barath: As a lover of classic course design, I think LACC looked amazing and stood up well to the best players in the world. It rewarded well-played shots but when a player missed it became costly. Too many courses are very one dimensional, and the leaderboard reflects that, but one look at the top 20 at LACC demonstrates the course offered players with a variety of strengths a chance, and that’s the best sign of a well-designed layout in my opinion.
Sens: If you’re into seeing how architecture influences strategy and shot-making, I don’t know how you couldn’t have enjoyed it. The USGA probably erred too far on the side of forgiving on Thursday but for the first go around with this event, better to err on the side of caution. We’ve seen how quickly things can get out of hand if you ratchet up the torture too early.
Bastable: This course is a blast, the kind you’d never tire of playing if you’re lucky enough to be a member. Does it instill fear like an Oakmont or Winged Foot? It does not. But when it started running fast and firm over the weekend, it proved to be plenty tough. As Min Woo Lee said, “I played my ass off for the last four days, and I’m only five under.” I liked what Bryson said when he compared it to a links course. That’s exactly how it started to feel (sans dunes and ocean breezes) as the fairways and greens baked out.
Melton: I thought it was fantastic. It might not have had the carnage that many begged for, but it had lots of interesting holes and produced some compelling golf. Big fan of LACC.
Hirsh: I agree with everything said so far with one big exception. The tee shot on 18 was far too easy. This is my only gripe with the golf course. Clark did not hit a good tee ball with a one-shot lead, totally overcooked his fade and missed it probably 30 yards right of where he was looking. But that fairway is 60 yards wide. I will look forward to the 2039 U.S. Open at LACC (especially the 6th hole again!) but they’ve got to toughen up that 18th tee shot.
Players, and fans, on the 6th hole at LACC.Alan Bastable
The USGA limited ticket sales to 22,000 per round, although only 9,000 were general admission while 13,000 were left for LACC members and/or spectators and businesses that purchased private suites or pavilions. “We could’ve sold 40,000 tickets a day,” said USGA chief Mike Whan, “but we sold 22 [thousand] to make sure the experience here is still a quality experience for those that get on the golf course.” Some players felt the vibe lacked energy, with defending champion Matt Fitzpatrick calling the atmosphere “very poor.” What do you think? Did this feel like a U.S. Open? Or should the USGA have made more tickets available?
Marksbury: I guess it depends on your definition of “quality experience.” Here in Arizona, we have hundreds of thousands of people who descend on the WM Phoenix Open and it’s one of the Tour’s premier events. LACC certainly looked like it could comfortably accommodate more people. More fans make it more fun, in my opinion. That said, I’m sure the USGA had their reasons for doing what they did.
Melton: The energy seemed to be lacking, at least based on what we could see on TV. Major championship crowds should lean more rock concert than library. Next time they’re at LACC, I hope they open the floodgates.
Sens: In the early rounds, I thought — this is a bummer. Way too stuffy and sleepy. But by the end I’d come to realize that it was nice not to hear knuckleheads hooting inanities after every shot. Pick your poison, I guess
Bastable: When there are seemingly as many pavilions and “chalets” on the course as grandstands, something feels awry. The sloping topography and hemmed-in greens undoubtedly posed a challenge in terms of fan placement, but I still think the USGA could have let 5,000-10,000 more general-admission spectators in the gates. On the days I walked the course, there was plenty of available real estate for fans to roam and park themselves. As I understand it, there was also much resistance from members who didn’t want masses of fans overrunning their club. Here’s hoping both sides can get on the same page the next time the Open visits — in 2039.
Barath: Having experienced the course on the grounds Monday to Wednesday and then the rest of the event from home I see both sides. The grounds at LACC are very hilly and some of the walkways and paths were narrow to the point of being potentially dangerous if crowds were moving too fast or trying to get ahead of groups. If the goal was to maximize fan movement and experience, I think they did the best they could. On the other side of things, a LOT of the grandstands were purchased by corporate hospitality, including around the first tee, which prevented more fans from being in busy areas to offer “juice” to the atmosphere. Considering it was a first time venue I still call it a win.
Hirsh: As a Philadelphia native, I’ve been reminded how this was the same number of fans let in at Merion in 2013, which is also a tight, poor spectating golf course. However, I don’t recall the same lack of energy. I think it’s clear we’ve started to overdue the hospitality experience at golf tournaments. What’s the point of going to a golf tournament and sitting in the air conditioning to watch on TV when I can do that from home or a regular sports bar and save $10 a beer?
What story from this U.S. Open didn’t get the attention it deserved?
Marksbury: I’ll pick the low-hanging fruit here and go with the ball rollback. USGA CEO Mike Whan did address it, but it seems like it was still a topic that was far from front and center.
Melton: Xander Schauffele’s collapse! He opened with a 62 and then didn’t break par the rest of the week. I think we’re all asking when he’s going to finally break through.
Barath: Has anyone mentioned that Wyndham Clark was using the same putter as Rickie Fowler? (Yes, I kid, since it was a popular topic on the broadcast). Beyond that, my real answer has to be the new emerging identity of the U.S. Open created by the USGA. By focusing less on the idea of par and letting great courses showcase their design features, it’s slowly helping to educate more casual golfers about course architecture, and a more educated golf audience is a great thing.
Sens: It’s not a U.S. Open story but, man, that news about Jay Monahan faded from the conversation pretty quickly. Almost any other week, that would have lingered longer in golf-world headlines.
