Wyndham Clark plays his shot from the 10th tee during the first round of the Travelers Championship golf tournament. (Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports)
Major championships are physically and mentally draining, which is why Jon Rahm typically doesn’t play the week after a major. The Spaniard said on Tuesday that he’s in the field this week at the Travelers Championship because it’s an elevated event, and otherwise, he would have taken the week off.
U.S. Open champion Wyndham Clark did not get to TPC River Highlands until Wednesday afternoon because he was bombarded with media requests and opportunities, but he’s here.
“You know, some of the calls and texts that I got were pretty amazing from some pretty influential people,” he said after signing for 68 Thursday. “Being on the Today Show and Good Morning America and ESPN and Fox News and all the things I went to, was awesome. Then running into some big-time celebrities that knew who I was and wanted to take a picture with me, rather than vice versa.”
There is no rule that required Clark to play in this event, and no one would have held it against him if he had withdrawn. His life changed on Sunday. But Clark played his first PGA Tour event at the 2017 Travelers Championship after receiving a sponsor’s exemption, so he showed up and shot 2-under 68.
Understandably, Clark said the media tour in New York City and the attention he has received since winning at Los Angles Country Club overshadowed his preparations for this event.
“I hit some pretty poor wedge shots today. I probably shot the worst score I could have today,” he said, “You know, I drove it pretty decent and had some really good opportunities to make birdies, so I would say there is a little bit of brain fog there.”
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