Professional golf prides itself on respect and sportsmanship, but let’s be honest—that polished image doesn’t always hold up behind closed doors. We love watching these guys maintain their composure on TV, but sometimes the real story unfolds where the cameras can’t follow. And when that happens, the gentleman’s game can get pretty ugly pretty fast.
Wyndham Clark now faces the consequences of his actions at Oakmont Country Club. According to reports from Pat Mayo, the 2023 U.S. Open champion has been banned from the historic venue following his locker room outburst during this year’s championship.
The ban comes after Clark destroyed multiple lockers at Oakmont in June following his missed cut at the U.S. Open. He shot consecutive rounds of 74 and missed the weekend by a single stroke. His frustration reached a boiling point when he bogeyed the final hole of his second round.
#BREAKING — Wyndham Clark has been banned from the grounds at Oakmont Country Club following his locker room incident at the U.S. Open. Per @ThePME, there is a path back if he pays for the damages, makes charitable donations, and completes counseling. pic.twitter.com/YhVUUyei9P
— NUCLR GOLF (@NUCLRGOLF) July 16, 2025
Clark subsequently kicked in two century-old lockers in the historic locker room, leaving the wooden panels completely caved in from his tantrum. Photos of the damage quickly spread across social media, sparking immediate outrage from golf fans worldwide. The damaged lockers were part of Oakmont’s storied history, with wooden benches bearing spike marks from legends like Bobby Jones, Ben Hogan, Arnold Palmer, and Jack Nicklaus.
Mayo reported that Clark remains banned from the Oakmont property until he meets specific conditions. These include paying for the damages, making charitable donations, and completing counseling sessions. However, Clark hasn’t even offered to pay for the repairs yet. The timing proves particularly awkward since Oakmont won’t host another U.S. Open until 2033. This means Clark could potentially miss nearly a decade of competitive golf at one of the sport’s most prestigious venues. The severity reflects just how seriously Oakmont takes the protection of its historic facilities.
This incident represents Clark’s second destructive outburst in major championships this year. At the PGA Championship, he threw his driver after a bad tee shot, damaging a T-Mobile sponsor sign and breaking his club head. That earlier incident showed a troubling pattern of behavior that has now escalated at Oakmont.
Golf analyst Brandel Chamblee described the damage as “reprehensible” and called for Clark’s suspension. Meanwhile, fellow PGA Tour pro Michael Kim took a subtle jab during a fan Q&A session, saying Oakmont was not the “nicest locker room on tour anymore.”
Wyndham Clark Faces Golf Fans’ Fury
The golf community has shown little sympathy for Clark’s situation. Social media erupted with criticism when news of the ban emerged. Most fans believe he fully deserves the consequences of his actions.
“So he hasn’t even offered to pay for it at a minimum?” questioned one frustrated fan. “There may not be a more entitled douchebag brat than that guy.” The sentiment captures the widespread anger directed at Clark’s apparent lack of accountability. Another fan sarcastically noted that Clark was “overheard as thanking the USGA for a 9 year exemption.” The dark humor reflects how fans view his ban as self-inflicted punishment rather than an unfortunate circumstance.
Even golf tracking accounts joined the criticism, with one bluntly stating: “Damn he deserves it if he hasn’t even paid.” The comment highlights the growing consensus that Clark’s punishment is fitting for his behavior. Meanwhile, one observer questioned whether this means “Wyndham still hasn’t paid for the damages?” The ongoing speculation about Clark’s failure to take responsibility has only intensified fan frustration. Another commenter added that Clark “needs to take a pill” regarding his anger management issues.
The backlash intensified when Clark attempted to apologize and suggested everyone should simply move past the incident. One particularly incensed fan captured this sentiment perfectly: “Just an OUTRAGEOUS response from Wyndham here. When you think the guy can’t be any more unlikable he doubles down.”
Nevertheless, some fans pointed to Adam Hadwin’s recent incident as a positive example of damage control. “Maybe he should call Hadwin to learn some etiquette on damage control,” suggested one commenter. “I believe Adam bought the grounds crew some food and paid for sprinklers and all was quickly forgiven.”
Hadwin accidentally broke a sprinkler at the Valspar Championship but immediately paid for repairs and bought lunch for the grounds crew. His quick response earned widespread praise and forgiveness, highlighting the stark contrast between the two players’ approaches to handling their mistakes.
The golf world’s harsh judgment sends a clear message about professional behavior standards. Clark’s reputation continues to suffer while fans demand better conduct from tour players. Whether he can rehabilitate his image remains to be seen, but the road back to respect will be a long and difficult one.
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