Clark's Fan Controversy
U.S. Open Leader Wyndham Clark Says Canadian Fans 'Crossed Line' After Jersey Controversy
Wyndham Clark, the early leader of the 126th U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills, says Canadian fans "maybe crossed the line" during the RBC Canadian Open last week. The admission came alongside a candid acknowledgment: "I brought it on myself," according to Toronto Sun.
The controversy started on June 13, when Clark paid a fan $200 for a Jack Hughes Team USA hockey jersey and wore it at the par-3 14th hole — nicknamed "The Rink" — at TPC Toronto. He birdied the hole despite a chorus of boos. Tour officials then told him to take the jersey off, effectively banning it for the rest of the round, National Post reported.
Why a Hockey Jersey Lit a Fuse in Canada
The Jack Hughes jersey was no random choice. In February 2026, Hughes scored the overtime winner to give Team USA a 2-1 gold medal win over Canada at the Milan Winter Olympics — the first American hockey gold in 46 years. Wearing his jersey at a Canadian golf tournament was a deliberate poke at the host nation, according to The Province.
"I was doing it to celebrate USA's win," Clark said. "I just thought in hockey country it would be kind of fun." The Rink hole is designed to look like a hockey arena, complete with boards and a Zamboni. Most players wear local team jerseys there to win the crowd over. Clark went the other way, according to Edmonton Sun.
Fans Booed — Then the Chirping Got Personal
Clark said the initial reaction — loud boos and hockey-style chirping — was fair game. He expected it and embraced it. The problem came later, when the verbal shots turned personal. He said that side of it "crossed the line," though he stopped short of giving specific details, per Ottawa Citizen.
He shot a 63 in that third round while wearing the jersey — his lowest score of the season. That stat alone made the stunt hard to criticize on purely sporting grounds. Still, Clark said he wants to move past the incident and win back fans — or find new ones — through his play, Calgary Herald reported.
Clark's Rocky Road: Locker Rage to Redemption Tour
The Canadian Open drama is not Clark's first public stumble. At the 2025 U.S. Open at Oakmont, he finished at +8 and missed the cut by one stroke. In frustration, he smashed historic wooden lockers in the clubhouse. Oakmont banned him from the property. He was later reinstated after paying for repairs, donating to charity, and completing anger management therapy, according to LFPress.
That incident cost him a spot on the Ryder Cup team. A win at Shinnecock Hills would go a long way toward earning it back. He leads the 126th U.S. Open as the tournament enters the weekend, giving him a real shot at his second major title, per Goderich Signal Star.
Golf Analysts Say the Tour Needs More of This Energy
Not everyone is critical. Many golf analysts have compared Clark's behavior to a "heel" in professional wrestling — the villain fans love to hate. Some outlets have called the jersey move "elite trolling" that gave the RBC Canadian Open its most viral moment in years. The social media buzz boosted viewership for the weekend rounds, Ottawa Sun noted.
Clark seems to understand his role. He is leaning into the "bad guy" image rather than running from it. Whether Canadian fans ever forgive him may matter less than whether he can convert his U.S. Open lead into a trophy by Sunday at Shinnecock Hills, according to Edmonton Examiner.
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