‘The Media Tries To Divide Us’ – Wyndham Clark Says US Team Room Closer Than Europeans
After the US won the Presidents Cup, Clark took a swipe at the media after reports of divisions in the team room during last year's Ryder Cup
The US swept to its 10th consecutive victory at the Presidents Cup, this time with an emphatic 18.5-11.5 point winning margin.
That manner of the victory was markedly different to the US performance just 12 months earlier when eight of the team took on the Europeans in the Ryder Cup.
Back then, one of the players who eventually appeared in both contests, Patrick Cantlay, was reported to have led a split in a ‘fractured’ US Ryder Cup team over player payments.
That claim was later dismissed by Cantlay as “complete lies” and “totally unfounded,” although the team was ultimately well beaten by Luke Donald’s men at Marco Simone, by 16.5-11.5 points.
Another player who appeared in both matches was Wyndham Clark, and after he picked up 1.5 points at Royal Montreal Golf Club, the 2023 US Open champion insisted that the suggestions of divisions in Italy last year were not just untrue, but that the team was actually closer than their European counterparts.
He said: “Yeah, we are a very close team. Contrary to what people thought last year at the Ryder Cup, we were in my opinion closer than the Europeans. The media tries to divide us apart, and this year we were just as close if not closer."
“We had so much camaraderie and positive energy between us. When : things weren’t going well, we still were all picking each other up. It was an amazing team room. So many laughs, so many fond memories.”
Get the Golf Monthly Newsletter
Subscribe to the Golf Monthly newsletter to stay up to date with all the latest tour news, equipment news, reviews, head-to-heads and buyer’s guides from our team of experienced experts.
The US Presidents Cup team saw Russell Henley, Brian Harman, Sahith Theegala and Keegan Bradley step in for Rickie Fowler, Brooks Koepka, Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas.
In Bradley's case, he was making his first US appearance in either competition since the 2014 Ryder Cup, and the experience in Canada proved invaluable to him, particularly as he captains Team USA in next year’s Ryder Cup against the Europeans at Bethpage Black.
After clinching the winning point for the US, he had nothing but good things to report about the togetherness of the team room in Canada, saying: “I gained a knowledge of the team room. You always hear about the US team room not being whatever, and this is the most - the greatest team room I've ever been a part of.”
That’s a big statement from Bradley considering that, following his omission from the 2023 Ryder Cup, he admitted he had been an something outsider in the game and added: “I feel like moving forward I’m going to have to automatically qualify for the Ryder Cup.”
However, there is no suggestion Bradley was an outsider among the US Presidents Cup team. On the contrary, he feels he was made especially welcome this time around.
“It's the first time I've been on one of these where I've really, truly felt like I belonged on the team,” he said. “It's a lot of thanks to Tabitha and Jim. But these guys really love each other. It's really special. It's amazing to see.”
The 2025 Ryder Cup takes place between 26 and 28 September.
Mike has over 25 years of experience in journalism, including writing on a range of sports throughout that time, such as golf, football and cricket. Now a freelance staff writer for Golf Monthly, he is dedicated to covering the game's most newsworthy stories.
He has written hundreds of articles on the game, from features offering insights into how members of the public can play some of the world's most revered courses, to breaking news stories affecting everything from the PGA Tour and LIV Golf to developmental Tours and the amateur game.
Mike grew up in East Yorkshire and began his career in journalism in 1997. He then moved to London in 2003 as his career flourished, and nowadays resides in New Brunswick, Canada, where he and his wife raise their young family less than a mile from his local course.
Kevin Cook’s acclaimed 2007 biography, Tommy’s Honour, about golf’s founding father and son, remains one of his all-time favourite sports books.
-
Who Was Presidents Cup MVP? How Many Points Every Player Won At Royal Montreal
Team USA beat the Internationals by 18.5-11.5 at Royal Montreal for its 10th consecutive title – here is how the points were claimed by the 24 players on both teams
By Mike Hall Published
-
What Every Player Shot On Sunday At The Presidents Cup
There were some notable performances in the 12 singles matches on Sunday, as the American side claimed an 18.5-11.5 victory at the Presidents Cup
By Matt Cradock Published
-
Who Was Presidents Cup MVP? How Many Points Every Player Won At Royal Montreal
Team USA beat the Internationals by 18.5-11.5 at Royal Montreal for its 10th consecutive title – here is how the points were claimed by the 24 players on both teams
By Mike Hall Published
-
What Every Player Shot On Sunday At The Presidents Cup
There were some notable performances in the 12 singles matches on Sunday, as the American side claimed an 18.5-11.5 victory at the Presidents Cup
By Matt Cradock Published
-
Presidents Cup Results 2024: All 30 Match-Ups At Royal Montreal
A total of 30 matches took place over four days of action, with the 12-man American side claiming a 10th straight Presidents Cup victory
By Matt Cradock Published
-
3 Ways To Strengthen The International Team And Make The Presidents Cup More Competitive
USA just won the Presidents Cup for the 10th time in a row. What can be done to make it more competitive?
By Elliott Heath Published
-
Justin Thomas Weighs In On Presidents Cup Antics And Admits It 'Kills' Him Watching From Home
The American has given his thoughts on the 2024 Presidents Cup on X, including how difficult it has been for him to watch it, rather than play in it
By Mike Hall Published
-
'Nighty Night' - Wyndham Clark Mocks Si Woo Kim After Presidents Cup Celebration
Moments after Si Woo Kim's missed putt sealed a 1up win for the final US pairing, Clark copied the Korean's earlier celebration on the edge of the 18th green
By Jonny Leighfield Published
-
How Mike Weir's Bold Presidents Cup Call Backfired On Day 3
Mike Weir chose the same pairings for both sessions on day 3, opting to sit out four players as the Internationals lost 6-2 on Saturday
By Elliott Heath Published
-
'I Could Hear Some Players Cursing At Us' - Tom Kim Accuses US Team Of Bad Sportsmanship During Another Prickly Presidents Cup Session
Saturday's foursomes session featured more tension between the teams as Kim claimed he heard some inflammatory comments from the American sideline
By Jonny Leighfield Published