Wyndham Clark faced a highly hostile crowd at the 2026 U.S. Open final round at Shinnecock Hills, with spectators heavily rooting against him. Meanwhile, Scottie Scheffler received an exact opposite reception because of his 30th birthday on the same day he was chasing his career Grand Slam.

Clark eventually won the tournament despite a 3-over final round and fan backlash. Scheffler shared a blunt response about relentless heckling directed at his playing partner and tournament champion after finishing in T4 on the leaderboard.

"I mean, the crowd was tough today. I mean, New Yorkers, they are tough people. There was a good turnout from the fans," Scheffler said.

"But at the end of the day, I can't control fan behavior. Being in the arena is not for everybody. You know, there's been a crowd that has been for me in my career; there's been a crowd that has been significantly against me in my career."

As Clark scrambled to an even-par 72 and a six-shot lead, fans kept shouting at him, “Get in the bunker,” on his drives and approaches. And one spectator was even ejected for yelling, “Don’t choke, Wyndham!”

Some even said, “Anyone but Wyndham,” and several spectators were removed from the course after throwing abusive comments at him.

Scheffler knows what it feels like to be the man the crowd wants to beat. At the 2025 Open Championship at Royal Portrush, he was the spoiler. The Northern Irish fans were desperate for Rory McIlroy to win on home soil. But he won anyway, and the same crowd gave him a standing ovation at the end.

"I think Portrush was a scenario for me where Rory is in his hometown. Or not his hometown; he's in Ireland, not far from where he grew up. Crowds can be tough," Scheffler said.

He added, "Being in the arena is not for everybody, and I think it shows a lot about Wyndham, how he handled not only this golf course but, I think, the crowd today as well, and is a well-deserving champion."

Wyndham Clark reacted to the fans' reception

After he tapped in his final putt to win by one shot over Sam Burns, Clark expressed how he was feeling at the course.

"They definitely didn’t want me to win," Clark said. "It’s pretty rare in a U.S. Open or a major to have fans kind of boo against your shots or cheer for bad shots."

But Clark also did not hide from the bad feeling left over from last year’s Oakmont locker-room incident. After missing the cut, he damaged 121-year-old lockers with a few violent kicks. He later offered plenty of apologies, but the reputational damage was done.

"Some of it's self-deserved. I kind of brought it on myself," Clark acknowledged. "But I also get it, too. Scottie was going for the career grand slam, and it hasn't happened very often."

But at the end, winning the trophy wasn't the only thing that made him happy. It was how he won. He kept coming back and never lost his lead the entire week.

He led after Thursday, Friday, and Saturday and through every wobble on Sunday. Sam Burns shot a brilliant 67 and came within one shot, but Clark held him off with a crucial birdie on the 16th hole.

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Written by

Md Saife Fida

Edited by

Ankita Yadav