WYNDHAM WINS BMW CHAMPIONSHIP
“I think it shows that I’m one of the best players in the world.”, said Wyndham Clark after he finished on 17-under-par to win the BMW Championship at Bellerieve Country Club in St. Louis.
Clark picked up a cool $3.6 million for his win and now heads to East Lake full of confidence….. “I think — I know everyone maybe gives me a hard time and roots for other people, but I feel like I’ve kind of come into my own. Three wins in one season is my best year yet. Coming off my worst year ever. Yeah, I’m just really pleased where I’m at right now.”
It was very nearly a different story for Clark who had a commanding five stroke lead heading in to the final round, but an opening bogey on the first, followed by further bogeys on the sixth and the tenth saw him lose his lead and find himself tied with a charging Rory McIlroy who birdied the eighth, ninth and eleventh to draw level.
However McIlroy was unable to make another birdie on the way home and his challenge was sunk with a bogey on seventeen, while Clark found suddenly found his focus and birdied the last three holes for a sensational Sunday finish.
“I never really got nervous, it was weird, all day I didn’t get too nervous.”, said Clark when asked about he felt when Rory caught him. “I just wasn’t there mentally. So when he got it close, Dave my caddie said, Hey, our back’s against the wall and that’s when you play some of your best golf. He goes, This is fun. Let’s just embrace it. Regardless of what happens, like, we’ve played great golf. We’re going to be in the Presidents Cup team. We’re in next week.”
“So sometimes stepping away from the moment and kind of realizing what’s going on brings you back in moment in a good way. Yeah, I think it helped that Rory was pushing me and it kind of was starting to light the fire within, and then I finally got focused and made some birdies.”
McIlroy is also happy with his game this week…..”Yeah, I did. I felt like most of my game held up today. Obviously going out in the final group and you’re working on some stuff, you know, you’re just hoping that everything stays the way it is. But, yeah, I hit it well on the back nine. I gave myself plenty of chances. I just couldn’t get a putt to drop there those final few holes. Yeah, I felt, I always felt like I needed to just get my nose ahead to really try to put the pressure on Wyndham, and I couldn’t. We were tied there for a few holes, and then when he made that putt on 16 for 2 and I couldn’t answer, that was obviously a huge moment in the round and in the tournament. But overall encouraged with how I played this week compared to what it was last week, and certainly something to build ongoing into East Lake.”
The Fedex Playoffs are going to be decided at East Lake and now Wyndham Clark has added his name to the group of players that could upset World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler’s title chances.
As McIlroy noted as he departed Bellerieve…… “Yeah, I mean, it’s sort of all to play for it next week. You know, Wyndham doing what he did today, yeah, next week will make things interesting.”
Photo: Wyndham Clark is finding his groove in Fedex Playoffs. (Photo by Gerry Ruddy)