Wyndham Clark, the world No. 7, has found himself at the center of controversy yet again. During the second round of the 2025 Arnold Palmer, after birdying the first hole to increase his lead, Clark’s actions on the third hole raised eyebrows. The footage shows his ball landing on the fairway, bouncing back, and hitting a pitch mark, appearing to be sunk into the fairway as if it was methodically placed on someone else’s mark. This sparked speculation about whether Clark took another PGA Tour pro’s spot on the fairway, leading to questions about his sportsmanship. However, after much speculation, it was declared that he was not cheating, and he was able to resume his position in the event. However, this isn’t the first time Clark was questioned regarding his integrity. Here are three more instances where he had been called into question:-
1. The 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational controversy
We have to start with the 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational controversy for obvious reasons. The incident in question found Wyndham Clark at the center of a heated debate after his actions on the 18th hole were captured on camera. As Clark prepared for his second shot, an NBC camera zoomed in, showing him placing his iron in the grass behind the ball for two seconds. The footage appeared to show the ball and grass moving, sparking speculation about whether Clark had broken the rules. “The ball clearly moved. He clearly didn’t ground the club lightly,” said analyst Brandel Chamblee. “Why he was putting his club into the grass so forcefully is beyond me.”
Here is Wyndham Clark at last year’s API. Questionable rules situations seem to be a common theme. https://t.co/5Yhx2f9x4p
— Matt Vincenzi (@MattVincenziPGA) March 7, 2025
Clark, however, denied any wrongdoing, stating, “I wasn’t trying to do anything like cheating or anything like that or improve my lie. I just simply put my club down… We all talked about it. Scottie and the rules officials, they didn’t think it moved.” The PGA Tour rules committee ultimately decided not to penalize Clark, citing that the ball had wobbled but returned to its original spot. Despite the controversy, Clark maintained his innocence, and the incident has sparked a wider discussion about the rules of golf and the use of video evidence.
2. The 2024 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am controversy
The second one on the list has to be the 2024 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am controversy, where Wyndham Clark benefited from a rules relief due to a burrowing animal hole next to his ball. On the 16th hole, Clark’s ball flew into the native area, coming to rest in a spot that would have required a difficult shot. However, after consulting with rules officials, Clark was granted relief due to the animal hole, allowing him to take a drop and avoid the tricky lie. “It was from an animal burrowing hole,” Clark confirmed after the round. “We were right on the edge of it to where it was in my way and I was essentially in the start of that animal burrowing hole.” This relief ultimately led to a par on the hole and a record-breaking round of 60.
3. The 2024 U.S. Open controversy
Last but not least, Wyndham Clark was involved in a controversy at the 2024 U.S. Open as well, where the golfer appeared to step on a divot to fix his lie as his ball rolled back toward it on the 10th hole. Fans quickly took to social media to question whether Clark’s actions were allowed under the rules, with some calling for a penalty. The incident was reminiscent of a similar situation at the 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational, where Clark avoided a penalty after a bizarre play.
According to Rule 11.3, players are prohibited from taking actions such as replacing a divot or pressing down a raised area of turf when the ball is in motion, with a penalty of two strokes for violation. Clark ultimately finished the tournament at T56 with a score of +7 in the final round and +12 overall. What are your thoughts on Clark’s history with mishaps on the course? Let us know in the comment section below!
The post 3 Times Wyndham Clark Faced Rule Controversies Amid Bay Hill Cheating Allegations, Explored appeared first on EssentiallySports.
