Wyndham Clark reigned supreme at Shinnecock Hills last week, winning his second US Open trophy in his last four attempts.
Rory McIlroy was right in the mix midway through the tournament but fell away over the weekend, finishing 10 shots behind Clark in a tie for 32nd.
Clark showed dogged determination to get the job done, with his short game saving him on numerous occasions.
Rory McIlroy is obviously a better and more consistent player than Wyndham Clark, but the American seems to thrive when playing in challenging environments like the US Open at Shinnecock Hills.
Clark received abuse from the fans during the US Open pretty much all week long.
And while it wasn’t as sustained nor as repulsive, McIlroy received similar treatment at Shinnecock from certain sections of the crowd.
Rory McIlroy could learn from how Wyndham Clark behaved during the US Open
McIlroy was clearly incredibly frustrated with his golf during the final two rounds of the US Open.
His temper boiled over during day four, when he told himself to ‘just go home’ after hitting a poor approach shot.
The Northern Irishman posted two rounds of 73 over the weekend at Shinnecock.
And midway through his final round, he received abuse from a particularly vocal fan.
After the fan begged for McIlroy’s tee shot to finish in a bunker, the six-time major champion gestured back to indicate that the spectator had a large belly.
And that is nothing new. McIlroy has allowed himself to become embroiled in disputes with fans regularly over the past year.
It obviously happened at the Ryder Cup and there was an incident at Aronimink during the PGA Championship last month when he got a fan ejected after an insult was hurled in his direction.
This is where McIlroy could do with taking a leaf out of Wyndham Clark’s book.
Wyndham Clark’s exceptional mental fortitude helped him win the US Open
Clark received some really horrific abuse all week long at Shinnecock.
However, rather than interact with the fans who were shouting insults at him, the American completely ignored their jibes.
He kept his head down and focused on winning the golf tournament at hand.
Now, McIlroy is unquestionably a clutch player under pressure. He wouldn’t have won six majors if he wasn’t.
However, it’s fair to say that getting involved in arguments with fans has not been helping him perform on the golf course recently.
Rory McIlroy would be far better served by keeping his head down and showing those who abuse him that it simply will not work.
The more McIlroy reacts, the more insults he will receive on the golf course. It’s a sad indictment of not only the game of golf, but society as a whole.
However, it’s McIlroy’s job to deal with that. Clark proved what can be achieved with a strong mind, and the Northern Irishman should be inspired at how the American dealt with the rowdy crowds at Shinnecock Hills last week.
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