Paige Spiranac celebrated Wyndham Clark’s U.S. Open win on Sunday with a heartfelt anecdote about their past.
Taking to Twitter, the longtime golf influencer shared how she and Clark, 29, “grew up playing junior golf together in Colorado” and how he was destined to “make it” big.
“Wyndham Clark and I grew up playing junior golf together in Colorado. Everyone would always say he had something special and we all knew he’d make it. Now he’s a major winner! Very cool moment,” the 30-year-old Spiranac said.
Clark won his first-ever major on Sunday at the Los Angeles Country Club, topping the likes of Rory McIlroy and Rickie Fowler, whose surging comeback had been one of the week’s biggest storylines.
“I feel like I belong on this stage,’’ said Clark, who finished Sunday’s final round with an even-par 70 and 10-under overall.
“Even two, three years ago when people didn’t know who I was, I felt like I could still play and compete against the best players in the world. I felt like I’ve shown that this year. I’ve come close. Obviously, everyone sees the person that hoists the trophy, but I’ve been trending in the right direction for a long time now.”
As special as Sunday was for Clark and his loved ones, it was also bittersweet as he lost his mother, Lise, to breast cancer when he was in college.
Clark remarked after the tournament how “proud” she is of him.
“I just wish she could be here and we could enjoy this. All I really wish is that my mom could be here and I could just hug her and we could celebrate together. But I know she’s proud of me. My mom was so positive and such a motivator in what she did. She called me ‘Winner’ when I was little. She had that mantra of ‘play big,'” Clark said.
Prior to Sunday’s win, Clark had claimed his first PGA Tour victory at the Wells Fargo Championship in May.
He is now ranked 13th in the world.
