PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – Scottie Scheffler’s mind-bending consistency might be elevating the level of play across the entire PGA Tour.
Look no further than Wyndham Clark.
Clark was just another talented 20-something when he finally broke through last May at the Wells Fargo Championship. It was a long time coming for a former college standout who, prior to the 2023 season, had never finished better than 64th in the FedExCup.
Looking back, Clark wasn’t in the right mental frame of mind to capitalize on his enormous physical gifts, nor did he putt well enough to compete against the world’s best. But his runaway win in one of the Tour’s signature events was hard-earned validation that he was on the right track. A month later, he won the U.S. Open, holding off Rory McIlroy in the process.
“I think I’ve always thought I could be where I’m at right now,” Clark said. “But I was lacking a lot of things in my game and mental stuff, and my confidence was starting to dwindle because I hadn’t broken through and played well consistently or won. Now that I’m doing that, it’s back to where I thought I could be.”
That’s one of the best players in the world.
Clark entered this week’s Players Championship at a career-high No. 5 in the OWGR after making serious headway over the past 10 months. Following up on his breakout 2023, he won another signature event, the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, in February before going the distance last week at Bay Hill and finishing second in the $20 million event.
His improving status as a big-game hunter has been solidified here at TPC Sawgrass, where he opened with the second-lowest 36-hole score in tournament history, 14-under 130, to open up a four-shot lead at the halfway point.
Among those he’s currently pacing ahead of?
Scheffler, who is six shots behind and now dealing with a neck issue that needed treatment Friday and again after the round.
Each player has different strengths: Scheffler is the best tee-to-green player since peak Tiger Woods, while Clark is much longer off the tee and a stronger putter. But to hear Clark, Scheffler – who is three years younger – has been a major motivator as Clark tries to take his game to the next level.
“I have so much respect for Scottie and his game and consistency, and he really is the meter right now of where you want to try to be,” Clark said. “I think the best thing about Scottie is his consistency. I was very consistent in making cuts and always being in the top 20 and then I won a few times, but Scottie is always in contention. He’s pushed me to be better, and it’s fun to watch him, and so I’m really trying to catch him.
“I really owe a lot to him to some of my good golf of late.”
Scheffler got the upper hand last Sunday, cruising to a five-shot victory over Clark that reignited the chatter that Scheffler could be on the verge of a dominant stretch. Still just 27 years old, Scheffler is coming off a second consecutive Player of the Year award during which he posted 17 top-10s and 21 top-25s in 23 starts. Clark racked up a career year – including his first major – but his eight top-10s paled in comparison to Scheffler’s week-to-week excellence.
Just now coming into his own, Clark is hoping to even the score a bit more often.
“I really looked at how Scottie has been playing this year and last year,” he said, “and I use him as someone to try to keep up with, and he plays good every week.”