Bigger talk is about player behaviour,and it is not small thing ah.
This year's edition at Shinnecock Hills was supposed to be remembered for pressure,skill and mental strength like US Open usually does . But now,it is also being talked about for conduct issues both on and off course .
Wyndham Clark winning his second title following his 2023 win should have been main headline . Still,his earlier outburst is hanging over everything,where he infamously vandalized locker doors after missing cut at last year's event .
And honestly,this is where things get uncomfortable.
Golfers are among most privileged athletes in sport,with money,status and support systems around them . But still,we are seeing anger,language issues and behaviour which makes commentators apologise during broadcasts . That says lot about where things are going.
Few things standing out clearly here:
- The USGA implemented new code of conduct,leading to penalties like Joaquin Niemann's two-stroke deduction.
- As Open Championship approaches,officials are prepared to impose shot penalties for unsportsmanlike behavior .
- Spectators are also becoming problem,with more shouting at players and affecting their performance.
The R&A and USGA now seem ready to draw harder line . Paul McGinley,former European Ryder Cup captain,said,"We're seeing so much entitlement and control favoring players . The governing bodies are now setting clear boundaries that have been needed for years."
But real test is not announcing rules . Real test is applying them same way for everyone,especially when some players get more scrutiny and others somehow escape serious attention .
As focus now moves to upcoming Open Championship at Royal Birkdale,officials will have to manage two things together: emotional players and loud crowds . That is not easy at all .
And tbh,Clark's incident is reminder that respect for game cannot be selective . Players want control,crowds want entertainment,bodies want discipline… but who actually bends first here?
