U.S. Open: Heckled all day, Wyndham Clark had the last word
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Jay Busbee Senior writerMon, June 22, 2026 at 1:23 AM UTC·5 min readSOUTHAMPTON, N.Y. — Wyndham Clark had just missed a 6-foot par putt on the 17th hole at Shinnecock Hills on Sunday, and when you miss a putt that late in the proceedings, the results can be catastrophic. Clark, who'd entered the day with a six-stroke lead on the field, now stood just one stroke clear. In other words, he needed to make a par on the final hole to clinch the U.S. Open.
He could have used a few "hang in there"s from the fans, a few "you got this"es or "go get 'em Wyndham." Instead, he got someone singing. Badly.
AdvertisementAdvertisement"Doo doo doo de-de-doo doo," yelped one atonal fan, adding a helpful "Under pressure!"
Hey, at least this tone-deaf fellow had the courtesy to massacre a classic between holes, not while Clark was in his backswing, or when his shot was in the air. That, in itself, was an improvement over the previous 17 holes, when Clark, who is from Denver, was treated like he was a Ryder Cup intruder on American soil.
"Man, they definitely didn't want me to win," Clark said afterward, the U.S. Open trophy by his side. "It's pretty rare in an Open Championship or a major to have fans kind of boo against your shots or cheer for bad shots."
From the very first tee, when fans serenaded Clark's playing partner Scottie Scheffler with "Happy Birthday" — he turned 30 on Sunday — all the way to the last tee, when — as Clark was lining up a potential Cup-winning putt — the crowd again sang "Happy Birthday," Sunday was one long torrent of abuse directed Clark's way. Every missed putt, every flown green, every ball that didn't end up precisely where Clark wanted it to, and the fans pounced — some so abusive they were kicked out of the golf course.
AdvertisementAdvertisement"The crowd was tough today. I mean, New Yorkers, they are tough people," Scheffler said after the round. "Being in the arena is not for everybody, and I think it shows a lot about Wyndham, how he handled not only this golf course, but I think the crowd today as well, and is a well-deserving champion."
That's all correct, and Scheffler was wise to take the high road and pivot the story into one praising Clark's mental toughness. So we'll say what the players inside the ropes are too diplomatic to say: This was an embarrassment to Long Island, to New York, and to the game of golf.
For a mostly-genteel sport, golf has a long, well-documented history of galleries abusing certain players. Arnie's Army absolutely tormented a still-young, still-baby-fat Jack Nicklaus so badly that Nicklaus pretty much destroyed their hero. More recently, Brooks Koepka-loving bros tormented Bryson DeChambeau with shouts of "Brooksie!" for several weeks in the pre-LIV days. Patrick Reed received only modest applause when he won the Masters. And then, of course, there's the Ryder Cup, where fan abuse is a key component of what counts as home-field advantage these days.
The Ryder Cup crowds tipped over from boisterous to malicious last fall, ripping on everything from Rory McIlroy's personal life to Shane Lowry's weight. And get this — in a shocking coincidence, that Ryder Cup was held at Bethpage, just down the road from Shinnecock. What are the odds?
To be clear, this gallery didn't come close to Bethpage's for abusiveness and general jackassery. This was less "we hate you and want you deported" and more "we're rooting for the other guy and simply don't know how not to be jerks." Screaming, "Get in the bunker!" may not be profane, but it also isn't even clever the first time, much less the 40th.
To be clear, this antipathy toward Clark didn't come out of nowhere. He's got a history of bad behavior — smashing a sign at the PGA Championship and smashing a locker at the U.S. Open last year, to start — that don't sit well with a good slice of golf fandom. Plus, much like DeChambeau, he's got a little too much of the please-like-me bro vibe to him, and golf fans have a kind of sixth sense to sniff out, and bully, that kind of thing.
AdvertisementAdvertisementBut he's trying, man. He's trying really hard to put that behind him. He's taken responsibility all week for the locker room incident, putting it in the context of turmoil engulfing his entire personal life. "After what happened at Oakmont was obviously the lowest point," Clark said Sunday. (Don't focus on the passive-voice sentence construction, focus on the bigger picture.) "I was in a dark place, didn't really go outside much. It was a really negative, dark place. At that moment I just felt a lot of my career, world ranking, reputation, everything just dwindling. That's a terrible feeling."
Clark worked his way back from those depths, and the trophy sitting next to him as he spoke is proof that his work is paying off. Maybe this will quiet the gallery critics, and maybe not. There isn't a major or significant tournament on the schedule for Long Island anytime soon, and that's probably for the best.
"It sucks being the underdog or getting rooted against, but I can pull through," Clark said. "There's nothing like winning kind of an away game, if you will."
The New York crowds had their say. But by every measure, Clark had the last word. Winning is, without a doubt, the best revenge.
Badenoch blasts 'moaning' female Labour MPs over Burnham jobs 'quota'
Kemi Badenoch has told Labour women to earn a job in Andy Burnham's Cabinet instead of demanding they are handed jobs because of their gender.
The Tory leader lashed out today amid reports that female MPs are demanding the de-facto new prime minister introduce a 50:50 gender split 'quota' in his government.
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister also complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts.
But in a scathing article in the Times today Mrs Badenoch told them to 'stop moaning' and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'.
'There are many, many reasons why you shouldn't have any Milibands in the cabinet,' she said.
'But complaining that the boys haven't given them the right jobs or that the boys are taking all the jobs, just shows that Labour's women still don't get it.'
The idea of quotas was also attacked by Baroness Jacqui Smith, Labour's Skills Minister.
Asked by Times Radio if Mr Burnham should reserve jobs for women, she said: 'No, I think what Andy Burnham should be doing is building the very best team around him to change this country.'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband (above, right, in 2010) is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts
But Mrs Badenoch told them to pipe down and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party and seen by the BBC has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs after he succeeds Sir Keir Starmer.
'We are asking you to demonstrate this change from day one and address the toxicity and misogyny within our own party and government,' it said.
Labour has never had a female leader, while the Conservatives have had three, and Mrs Badenoch urged the government to follow its meritocratic example.
'If you run a meritocracy, then you do not have to worry about jobs for the boys,' she wrote.
'Every woman who is a Conservative MP, every woman who has ever won the leadership, has had to fight to get where she is.
'By contrast, Labour women are demanding guarantees from Burnham. But the truth is he doesn't have to give any guarantees.
'If none of Labour's women are prepared to get their hands dirty and challenge him for the leadership, their demands are toothless.'
'In fact, it's quite revealing that the women's parliamentary Labour Party has written to Burnham asking him to commit himself to at least 50 per cent female ministers.
'This has nothing to do with meritocracy. It is yet more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country.'
Venezuela Fury and Noah Price subsidising their life by livestreaming
Venezuela Fury and her husband Noah Price look to be making their own way in the world by raking it in from their lucrative social media accounts.
The influencer daughter of Tyson and Paris Fury, 16, has become an internet sensation after tying the knot with her husband Noah, 19, earlier this year.
Since getting married and moving in together the couple have been earning thousands of pounds a month, livestreaming their life as newlyweds in their static caravan in the East Riding of Yorkshire.
And fans can't get enough of their regular life updates on TikTok and Kick, which have proved to be very profitable for the pair.
They look to be supporting themselves after Noah denied that he was given £5million by Venezuela's family as a wedding gift.
Despite his wife's huge family wealth, an estimated combined £160 million, Noah recently told his Kick followers that he 'pays for everything' for the couple.
Making light of the claims about Venezuela's millionaire financial status, Noah said: 'I actually pay for everything unfortunately. You'd expect the millionaire to pay for it wouldn't you.'
Venezuela Fury and Noah Price are earning thousands livestreaming their caravan life - after her new groom insisted he pays all the bills and denied he had £5m handout from her dad
The influencer daughter of Tyson and Paris Fury , 16, has become an internet sensation after tying the knot with her husband Noah, 19, earlier this year
Venezuela then asked their fans: 'Do you think I am a millionaire?'
Noah joked: 'She isn't a secret millionaire guys', before she broke into song and sang: 'But I live like a millionaire!'
But it seems according to estimated calculations from their social media work, Noah and Venezuela can more than afford to support themselves.
Noah has been livestreaming on platforms such as Kick and TikTok, where viewers can send paid gifts or donations.
He was previously encouraging viewers to send gifts on his honeymoon during livestreams, suggesting this is one revenue stream.
Both Noah and Venezuela have built substantial followings on Instagram and TikTok. They can potentially earn money through sponsored posts, brand collaborations, affiliate links and creator payouts.
Kick allows its creators to take home 95 per cent of the £4.99 subscription cost that fans pay.
Streamers keep 100 per cent of direct tips and donations, minus minor standard payment processing fees.
It is unclear how many subscribers Noah currently has because this information is hidden, but he does have 7,200 followers which is publicly viewable.
An industry insider has suggested Noah is making around £400 per video on TikTok, while Venezuela is likely to make £2,000 due to her following count of 1.3 million.
An industry insider has suggested Noah is making around £400 per video on TikTok, while Venezuela is likely to make £2,000 due to her following count of 1.3 million
In one video on their honeymoon, Noah asked his followers if they'd give them some more gifts now that they were married.
In a TikTok live viewed by 20,000 he said: 'Keep liking our videos people, keep sending gifts.'
After saying thank you to several of his followers he joked they should stick around on the livestream and 'watch Venezuela punch me in the mouth'.
The other half of the honeymooning couple said: 'I am, honestly!'
Noah previously confirmed that the pair don't share their finances after they were asked whether they have a shared bank account.
'She earns her money, I earn mine,' said Noah, as Venezuela joked: 'Yeah, what you gonna do about it.'
Noah went on to debunk the rumour that Tyson gave him £5million when he tied the knot with his daughter as he insisted: 'No Tyson did not give me £5million'.
Meanwhile Venezuela is being eyed up by executives for a fly on the wall TV series.
Noah went on to debunk the rumour that Tyson gave him £5million when he tied the knot with his daughter as he insisted: 'No Tyson did not give me £5million'
Boasting 1.3 million TikTok followers, Venezuela is already entertaining fans with her honest musings and candid moments, from cooking to kitting out her and Noah's static caravan home.
And following the success of the Netflix series At Home With The Furys, it is no wonder bosses are wanting to draw on the Fury popularity.
A TV insider said: 'The couple are not A-list celebrities but everyone has become obsessed with their love story.
'People are genuinely intrigued by them. Whether it’s the fact they have married so young, Venezuela’s famous family or their gypsy lifestyle, they have the ‘X factor'.
'Several TV executives think a proper fly-on-the-wall series following their lives as newlyweds in the gypsy community would be fascinating,' they told The Sun.
It is thought Netflix would be likely to produce the series due to their already established relationship with the Furys.
Venezuela's representatives told The Daily Mail: 'We have many offers on the table regarding Venezuela which we are discussing.'
