Wyndham Clark earned his first career major win at the 2023 U.S. Open. The 29-year-old golfer finished 10 under for the tournament, holding off world No. 3 player Rory McIlroy for his second career PGA Tour victory.
The finish wasn't easy for Clark, who led McIlroy by just one stroke after bogeying the 15th and 16th holes. That left no room for error on the 17th and 18th holes, two of the hardest on the Los Angeles Country Club's North Course.
Clark managed to par both of those holes, tapping in on 18 for the win.
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And in his first comments after the victory, Clark's attention immediately turned to one of the most important figures in his life: his late mother.
"I just felt like my mom was watching over me today," Clark said. "You know, she can't be here. Miss you, mom."
"I've dreamed about this moment for so long."
— U.S. Open (USGA) (@usopengolf) June 19, 2023
Soak it all in, @Wyndham_Clark! #USOpen pic.twitter.com/0LO1hgyocV
Clark's mother, Lise Thevenet Clark, died in 2013 at age 55 after battling breast cancer. Wyndham Clark spoke about her throughout the week, referring to her as his "rock" and explaining that he had nearly quit golf after her death.
But he remembered a message she gave him: to "play for something bigger than yourself."
He took that to heart, and that is part of what helped him to lift the U.S. Open trophy.
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Naturally, other PGA Tour players took notice of Clark's comments about his mother. And they were at the forefront of many competitors' minds as they saw him perched atop the leaderboard over the weekend.
That included Clark's final-round playing partner, Rickie Fowler, who entered Sunday tied with him for the lead.
Fowler struggled in the final round, carding a 5-over 75 to finish tied for fifth for the tournament. Even amid his frustration with his performance, he took time to deliver Clark a poignant message on the 18th green as they embraced after his win.
“'Your mom, if she’d been here — she’d have been very proud,'" Fowler said to Clark, as he recounted to reporters after the round.
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That highlights the impact Clark's emotional journey to the top of the PGA Tour had on his fellow competitors.
And for Clark, his victory is the attainment of a lifelong dream.
"I just feel like I've worked so hard and I've dreamed about this moment for so long," he said. "There's been so many times where I've visualized being here in front of you guys and winning this championship, and I just feel like it was my time."