Wyndham Clark wins Pebble Beach after 4th round canceled

PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. — After 54 holes of play, the 2024 AT&T Pebble Seashore Professional-Am is over and reigning U.S. Open champion Wyndham Clark has been declared the winner.

“It is simply been a whirlwind of feelings and emotions,” Clark mentioned throughout a Sunday night time digital information convention. “It is fairly surreal proper now.”

On Sunday morning, the match’s ultimate spherical was postponed to Monday because of inclement weather that included heavy rainfall and winds as much as 60 mph.

However after additional evaluation by the PGA Tour and Monterey County emergency authorities, the Tour introduced Sunday night time that “out of an abundance of warning for the security of all constituents” there could be no extra golf performed.

Although the forecast is predicted to enhance in a single day, the storm and its excessive winds are set to increase into Monday morning. Monterey authorities have issued a shelter-in-place order for the Pebble Seashore neighborhood.

“In accordance with the PGA TOUR Laws the match outcomes shall be ultimate by way of the conclusion of 54 holes,” the tour mentioned in a press release.

The choice signifies that Clark (17 underneath), who shot a Pebble Seashore report 12-under 60 Saturday and held a 1-stroke lead over Ludvig Åberg after the third spherical, has secured his third PGA Tour victory.

“Everybody desires to win a match in 72 holes and sleep on a lead and carry out on Sunday,” Clark mentioned. “Coming down 16, 17, 18 at Pebble Seashore [on Saturday] it felt like a Sunday … as I come to the inexperienced I acquired a standing ovation and everybody was giving me the respect for having such an important spherical. Once I shook arms and waved to the gang, it actually felt like I simply gained the match, so I do not really feel like I acquired cheated in any respect.”

Clark mentioned he tried his finest all day Sunday to maintain his thoughts targeted on a possible fourth spherical. He slept poorly, getting up at 2 a.m. earlier than waking once more at 5 a.m. to see if there was an replace on the standing of the ultimate spherical. As soon as the Tour mentioned no golf could be performed Sunday, Clark mentioned it was arduous not to consider the likelihood that the match wouldn’t resume.

He spent the remainder of his day attempting to take his thoughts off golf by taking part in playing cards with pals, watching a film and taking a brief stroll to evaluate the injury the storm had made close by. Later within the day, Clark mentioned he started to get calls informing him that there was a powerful chance the match could be absolutely suspended.

“So then my thoughts actually began racing,” Clark mentioned. “It was very troublesome if I will be trustworthy as a result of most tournaments, if I shot what I shot and had a 1-shot lead going into a traditional Sunday the place you 100% know you are going to play, your mindset is totally different.”

Throughout a pingpong match along with his buddy Brian Kettler, Clark mentioned he lastly obtained the decision that he had gained the shortened match. He and Kettler had been taken off guard, hugged and shed some tears, in keeping with Clark.

“This match may be very particular to me and my caddie, John [Ellis], primarily as a result of it is each of our favourite place on this planet,” Clark mentioned. “He has all the time informed me, ‘Wyndham, if there’s one factor you are able to do in your profession, I do not care in the event you win 100 occasions or one time, I simply hope one among them is at Pebble Seashore.’ … So for us to drag it off and within the trend that we did was fairly superior.”

The 2023 U.S. Open champion drained greater than 150 ft of putts through the first 9 holes of his Saturday spherical, resulting in a 28 on the entrance 9. His eagle putt on 18, which might have given him a 59, stopped simply in need of the cup. The next birdie nonetheless gave him the report for the perfect spherical ever on the historic venue. It will even be his ultimate shot of the match.

“I hadn’t been in competition actually since most likely my U.S. Open win,” Clark mentioned after his spherical Saturday. “I do not understand how you can beat a spherical like this at Pebble Seashore.”

Clark admitted he had been struggling on the greens since his Open win, which had led him to working with a brand new placing coach this previous week. After spending three to 4 hours with the coach and attempting out 9 putters within the lead-up to the second signature occasion of the PGA Tour season, Clark discovered one thing he appreciated.

“We resulted to altering no [aiming] line on the putter, I went slightly bit shorter and I went from being standard to cross-hand,” Clark mentioned. “A number of huge modifications, however once you’re in a spot the place I used to be mentally in placing, you form of wanted a change.”

The change labored. Clark led the sector in strokes gained placing for the week and was lights-out Saturday, making two eagles and 9 birdies.

“I do not suppose I’ve had a greater placing spherical,” Clark mentioned. “Sixty is my lowest [personal] rating.”

When requested if he had considered the potential of Saturday’s spherical being the ultimate one of many match given the climate, Clark mentioned he had thought-about it, which additionally helped gasoline his stellar exhibiting.

“You have to have that mentality that right now’s the final day so attempt to go for broke,” Clark mentioned. “With that mentioned, that is very uncommon that we have now 54 holes.”

The final PGA Tour occasion to be known as after 54 holes was the Zurich Traditional in 2016, and the final match at Pebble Seashore to complete after 54 holes was the 2009 occasion, gained by Dustin Johnson.

“Clearly you by no means take into consideration successful a match in 54 holes,” Clark mentioned. “And it is perhaps not the best way you dream of successful, however with that mentioned, I feel a variety of us yesterday form of had — not that we knew or something, however we positively had this outdoors shot in pondering that perhaps that is our final spherical. So yeah, it has been a tremendous final 36 hours.”

Clark was additionally requested Sunday in regards to the rumors that he had thought-about leaving the PGA Tour for LIV Golf in some unspecified time in the future over the previous few months. The 30-year-old mentioned he had met with LIV and needed to see what it may supply him, however that he finally determined in opposition to becoming a member of.

“I in the end declined going to LIV as a result of I felt like I nonetheless have a variety of issues left within the tank on the PGA Tour and I needed to chase information,” Clark mentioned. “My dream is to attempt to be one of many prime gamers on this planet, if not the highest participant. I simply grew up all the time imagining successful PGA Tour occasions. So I in the end, I selected my legacy over LIV and that is actually what it got here right down to.”