July 20, 2025: Before Wyndham Clark‘s game lit up Royal Portrush with a stunning 5-under 66 on Saturday, a cloud of controversy followed him from Oakmont Country Club, where he was recently suspended over a locker room outburst at the U.S. Open.
Clark, the 2023 U.S. Open champion at Los Angeles Country Club, reportedly damaged parts of the historic Oakmont locker room after missing the cut at this year’s U.S. Open. The club handed down a suspension just hours before the start of The Open Championship in Northern Ireland, according to The Daily Telegraph‘s James Corrigan.
Despite the controversy, Clark has opted not to address the incident publicly. After his bogey-free third round, Clark declined to speak to the media — a decision that drew criticism.
“Wyndham Clark, who, it revealed earlier this week, was banned from Oakmont for smashing up lockers during the US Open, has declined to talk to the media, despite shooting a 66 today. Weak does not begin to describe it,” Corrigan wrote on X.
Still, Clark let his clubs do the talking at Royal Portrush. He opened his round with an eagle on the first hole, then added birdies on 4, 9, 12, and 17. His third-round score of 66 brought him to T12 heading into Sunday’s final round, a strong turnaround after an opening-round 76.
This also marked just the second time in his career that Clark has posted back-to-back rounds in the 60s at a major — the first time being during his U.S. Open triumph in 2023 (64-67-69-70).
While Clark’s golf game is heating up at the right time, questions off the course linger. With one round left at The Open, eyes will be on both his performance — and whether he finally breaks his silence.