Getty Image
Wyndham Clark went from elation to heartbreak in a matter of seconds on Sunday when he missed a putt on the 18th green that would’ve forced a playoff with Scottie Scheffler at The Players.
Rather than continue competing for a chance at victory, Clark’s final round ended with a second-place consolation prize. He couldn’t believe his eyes.
Chasing Scheffler late on Sunday afternoon, Clark was locked in over his final stretch.
A birdie on 17 made it possible to even the score atop the leaderboard with another birdie on his final hole.
Birdie on No. 17 for @Wyndham_Clark.
One back. #THEPLAYERS pic.twitter.com/xSi4ADSfc9
— THE PLAYERS (@THEPLAYERS) March 17, 2024
And he looked well on his way after finding the 18th green with his second shot.
Anticipation built but Wyndham Clark appeared up to the task in the pressure-packed moment. Zoned in, he lined up a birdie putt that looked destined to drop in the cup and force a playoff… Until it didn’t.
A slight break caused the ball to lip out after coming oh-so-close to falling.
PAIN.
Wyndham Clark was THIS close to a playoff. 🤯 pic.twitter.com/tfL2ColoUx
— Golf Digest (@GolfDigest) March 17, 2024
Even Clark, himself, believed it would drop.
He was so confident that he began a premature celebration as the ball inched closer to the hole.
Taking a slide step to line up a celebratory fist pump, his reaction quickly changed when the ball made its way around the lip and back onto the green.
NOT THE DOUBLE PUMP EARLY STEP. NOOOOO. pic.twitter.com/C9QBWfk8kn
— Fore Play (@ForePlayPod) March 17, 2024
“I don’t know how that putt doesn’t go in,” he said while speaking with the media after the event. “I knew it was going to keep breaking, but it had speed. I thought it was going to go inside-left. Even when it kind of seemed to lip, I thought it would lip in. So, I’m pretty gutted that it didn’t go in.”
Just brutal.
Clark would tap in for par on his final shot to finish one spot behind the leader for a second straight week (With Sheffler winning both times!).
That second-place finish still earned him a hefty $1.8M payout, but he’ll be thinking about what could’ve been given how painfully close he came to forcing that playoff.