Wyndham Clark overcomes shaky start to claim first PGA Tour win

Mon, 08 May, 2023 - 10:08

By Phil Casey, PA Golf Correspondent

Wyndham Clark overcame the swift loss of his overnight lead to claim his first PGA Tour title in the Wells Fargo Championship.

Clark’s two-shot advantage was wiped out in the first three holes and the 29-year-old American found himself a shot behind playing partner Xander Schauffele after seven holes of the final round at Quail Hollow.

However, Clark responded superbly to birdie five of the next eight and with Schauffele stumbling around the turn, the win became something of a formality.

First win for Wyndham 🏆@Wyndham_Clark breaks through and claims his first victory on TOUR @WellsFargoGolf. pic.twitter.com/pYILsiiPif

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) May 7, 2023

A closing 68 gave Clark a winning total of 19 under par and four-shot victory over Schauffele, with England’s Tyrrell Hatton and American Harris English three strokes further back in third.

Tommy Fleetwood and former world number one Adam Scott finished in a tie for fifth on 11 under.

“Gosh, sorry, I’m a little choked up,” Clark told CBS after joining the likes of Anthony Kim, Rory McIlroy, Rickie Fowler and Max Homa in making the Wells Fargo Championship their maiden PGA Tour title.

“It’s been a long five years to get to this point on Tour and I thought I would have had one earlier, but it’s well worth the wait and I’m so grateful.

An emotional Wyndham Clark celebrates his first PGA Tour victory in the Wells Fargo Championship. Photo: Chris Carlson/AP.

“There’s so much that goes into this and there’s so many times I wanted to cry and break clubs – and I did break the club sometimes – in this journey and to get to this point is so sweet.

“It’s just amazing to finally do this.

“I didn’t start out great, I was kind of shaky and I think in years past I might have folded. This time I just stayed patient and hung in there and got hot on the back side.”

Xander Schauffele hits from a bunker on the 18th hole during the final round of the Wells Fargo Championship Photo: Chris Carlson/AP.

Schauffele was left to rue costly dropped shots on the ninth and 11th and told reporters: “When you’re trying to win on Sunday you need to put the screws down and put some pressure on the guys leading and I didn’t do that.

“I probably had to shoot seven under today again to tie him or win by one. I think if I could have just put a little bit of pressure down through that mid part where I started leaking oil, it probably would have looked a little bit different.

“Once again I’m playing really solid and just had a flat Sunday unfortunately.”