Some moments make you take a step back and look at the beauty of it all. Rory McIlroy’s win at Augusta is an earth-shattering moment like that. Not just because of what it meant to him, i.e., achieving the Career Grand Slam. It also had ramifications within the golfing community, where the sense of belief started getting contagious. That is what the victory meant to the world, and Wyndham Clark shines a candid light on the impact of McIlroy’s Masters victory.
Speaking on the Sky Sports Golf Podcast. Wyndham Clark was raving about Rory McIlroy’s achievement at Augusta. McIlroy achieved the Career Grand Slam, the first person to do so in 25 years. Tiger Woods was the last player to have done it. In doing so, the Northern Irish golfer achieved his fifth major on the PGA Tour as well. Only 14 other golfers in the history of the sport have more majors than him. “If someone gets their fifth major, they are kind of in the upper echelon. They are the highest of the high.” Clark expressed his admiration for the achievement.
It was a very interesting final round at Augusta. Needing a par at hole 18, McIlroy missed a crucial putt and had to settle for a bogey. He then had to fight in the playoffs against Justin Rose and finally clinched his long-awaited Masters title.
“The way he did it, battling adversity. When he missed that putt, I was like “Oh, no”. And to come back and hit a great drive and stuff it in and win. It’s amazing.” The University of Oregon alum stated. Clark holds one major victory, which is the 2023 US Open. McIlroy’s victory and overwhelming emotions have also made him realise that he too wants to achieve a few more majors and join the upper echelons of the golfing world. The 31-year-old will be highly motivated to do the same. “I’m hoping I can put my name in some of those lists and maybe getting a few more majors.” The three-time PGA Tour winner professed.
February 3, 2024; Pebble Beach, California, USA; Wyndham Clark acknowledges the crowd after making his putt on the second hole during the third round of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am golf tournament at Pebble Beach Golf Links. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
Clark is no slouch either. His three PGA Tour victories have come at big events. The 2023 Wells Fargo Championship, the 2023 US Open, and the 2024 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. Two signature events and a major. An impressive resume for the American. However, his consistent success has not translated to this year, where he has struggled.
Wyndham Clark’s 2025 PGA Tour season
Clark has had a tough start to the season. He has made 11 appearances on the tour but has only missed two cuts – the American Express and the Zurich Classic of New Orleans. He also withdrew from the PLAYERS after round 1. Despite making eight cuts, Clark has only featured in the top 10 once. He had finished T5 at the Texas Children’s Houston Open with a score of 15 under par.
He failed to defend his title at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, finishing a woeful T73 with a score of 2 over par. His game has lacked the consistency that is required for a top player, as evidenced by his outing at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, where he started strong with a score of 6 under par after two days before crumbling over the weekend and finishing T22 with an even-par score. He will need to be equally effective during the four days if he is to make a charge at a title again.
Can Wyndham Clark revamp his season and make a strong statement in the coming events? Will he be able to add another major to his collection by the end of 2025?
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