Wyndham Clark won his second US Open championship in four years on Sunday at Shinnecock Hills, overcoming a shrinking lead and a hostile crowd that actively rooted for his playing partner, Scottie Scheffler.
The United States Golf Association confirmed that several spectators were removed from the course for directing abusive comments at the 32-year-old Colorado native, as reported by The Guardian.
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Clark entered the final round with a six-shot advantage but finished with a three-over-par 73, narrowly holding off his competitors after his lead shrank to a single stroke on multiple occasions.
"They definitely didn't want me to win," said Clark, who sat beside the trophy after the tournament concluded.
"It's pretty rare in a [US Open] or a major to have fans kind of boo against your shots or cheer for bad shots."
The golfer noted that the negative reception partly stemmed from his own past behavior, referencing a heavily criticized locker-room incident at Oakmont last year, alongside the fact that Scheffler was chasing a historic career grand slam.
"Some of it's self-deserved. I kind of brought it on myself," said Clark.
"But I also get it, too. Scottie was going for the career grand slam, and it hasn't happened very often."
Reflecting on the final round, Clark expressed immense pride in how he handled the pressure when his comfortable lead began to evaporate under intense competitive pressure.
"It was tough, but I'm proud of myself that I battled through," said Clark. "Things really could have gotten away from me.
