"Wyndham is the new Rory McIlroy" - Fans react to Wyndham Clark declining media requests at The Open

Wyndham Clark completed his third round play at the 2025 Open Championship on Saturday, July 19. The American golfer's current top 10 standing has taken a backseat as he declined media requests at Royal Portrush Golf Club, drawing criticism from the fans online.

The 31-year-old has showcased consistency in his performance in the last major of the season. He began the third round with a birdie on the par 4 opening hole. He scored five birdies throughout the round and avoided registering any bogeys.Wyndham Clark's total score in Round 3 was 5-under par 66.

However, after a strong showing on the course, Clark declined to attend the post-round media interaction. James Corrigan of The Daily Telegraph reported that the golfer declined to interact with the media.

This comes right after reports emerged about him getting banned from Oakmont CC for allegedly damaging the locker room during the U.S. Open last month. NUCLR GOLF shared the news via a post on X (previously Twitter):

❌🎤 #DECLINED — Wyndham Clark has declined media requests today after firing -5, 66 to move inside the Top 10. The move follows reporting that he has been banned from the grounds at Oakmont Country Club after he kicked in lockers at the U.S. Open. (Via @jcorrigangolf)."

A section of fans online criticized Wyndham Clark for not facing the media at the Open. Some of them even compared his behavior to that of Rory McIlroy's.

"Wyndham is the new Rory. Hatable and fun to root against," a fan wrote down. "I'm not sure why folks are surprised. Wyndham has always acted like an entitled jerk," another one commented. "Guy’s clearly got issues. Where are the people advising him? The Oakmont issue should have been settled within 24 hours with a check and an apology," someone else wrote in the comments. "Should have been suspended the rest of the year after the US OPEN," another fan criticised Wyndham Clark. "This bum better not make the Ryder cup," an X-user wrote down.

However, Wyndham Clark's behavior towards reporters is unexpected since there has been no such prior record.w

Why Wyndham Clark has been reportedly banned from Oakmont CC

On July 16, multiple media outlets reported that the former World No. 3 golfer was slapped with a ban from Oakmont CC. During the 2025 US Open, Clark reportedly had a massive meltdown right after he could not make the cut. The golfer made back-to-back 74s to miss out on weekend rounds.

Wyndham Clark could not contain his frustration and ended up causing visible damage to the lockers in the changing area. Weeks after this happened, it seems that Oakmont has reportedly banned Clark for an indefinite period of time. Though the golfer made an admission of a mistake while talking with the press, the club has reportedly asked him to make amends.

Edited by Sumeet Kavthale