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 evening digital information convention. “It is fairly surreal proper now.”
On Sunday morning, the event’s remaining spherical was postponed to Monday due to inclement climate 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 evening that “out of an abundance of warning for the protection of all constituents” there can 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 group.
“In accordance with the PGA TOUR Laws the event outcomes might be remaining via the conclusion of 54 holes,” the tour mentioned in an announcement.
The choice signifies that Clark (17 below), 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 event 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 incredible spherical. Once I shook palms and waved to the gang, it actually felt like I simply gained the event, so I do not really feel like I acquired cheated in any respect.”
Clark mentioned he tried his greatest all day Sunday to maintain his thoughts centered 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 can be performed Sunday, Clark mentioned it was exhausting not to think about the chance that the event wouldn’t resume.
He spent the remainder of his day attempting to take his thoughts off golf by enjoying playing cards with associates, 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 probability the event can be absolutely suspended.
“So then my thoughts actually began racing,” Clark mentioned. “It was very tough if I will be sincere 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 together with his pal Brian Kettler, Clark mentioned he lastly acquired the decision that he had gained the shortened event. He and Kettler have been taken off guard, hugged and shed some tears, in response to Clark.
“This event 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 at all times instructed me, ‘Wyndham, if there’s one factor you are able to do in your profession, I do not care for those who win 100 occasions or one time, I simply hope one in all 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 toes of putts throughout 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 wanting the cup. The next birdie nonetheless gave him the report for the perfect spherical ever on the historic venue. It could even be his remaining shot of the event.
“I hadn’t been in competition actually since in all probability my U.S. Open win,” Clark mentioned after his spherical Saturday. “I do not understand how you could possibly 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 favored.
“We resulted to altering no [aiming] line on the putter, I went a little bit bit shorter and I went from being standard to cross-hand,” Clark mentioned. “A number of large adjustments, however while you’re in a spot the place I used to be mentally in placing, you type 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 assume I’ve had a greater placing spherical,” Clark mentioned. “Sixty is my lowest [personal] rating.”
When requested if he had thought of the potential for Saturday’s spherical being the ultimate one of many event given the climate, Clark mentioned he had thought-about it, which additionally helped gasoline his stellar displaying.
“You have to have that mentality that immediately’s the final day so attempt to go for broke,” Clark mentioned. “With that mentioned, that is very uncommon that we’ve 54 holes.”
The final PGA Tour occasion to be known as after 54 holes was the Zurich Traditional in 2016, and the final event at Pebble Seashore to complete after 54 holes was the 2009 occasion, gained by Dustin Johnson.
“Clearly you by no means take into consideration profitable a event in 54 holes,” Clark mentioned. “And it is perhaps not the best way you dream of profitable, however with that mentioned, I believe loads of us yesterday type of had — not that we knew or something, however we positively had this exterior shot in considering that perhaps that is our final spherical. So yeah, it has been an incredible final 36 hours.”
Clark was additionally requested Sunday concerning 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 wished to see what it might supply him, however that he finally determined towards becoming a member of.
“I finally declined going to LIV as a result of I felt like I nonetheless have loads of issues left within the tank on the PGA Tour and I wished to chase information,” Clark mentioned. “My dream is to attempt to be one of many high gamers on this planet, if not the highest participant. I simply grew up at all times imagining profitable PGA Tour occasions. So I finally, I selected my legacy over LIV and that is actually what it got here right down to.”
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