Denver native Wyndham Clark set to become first Colorado high school grad since 1994 to compete in Presidents Cup
By Gary Baines – 9/25/2024
The last — and only — time that a golfer who grew up in Colorado competed in the Presidents Cup, O.J. Simpson had recently been arrested following the killing of his wife.
Yes, it has been that long ago.
In 1994, the first year of the Presidents Cup matches between U.S. and International teams, Boulder High School and University of Colorado graduate Hale Irwin not only captained the American squad but played, winning two of his three matches in the U.S. victory.
Now, 30 years later, Irwin will have company as Colorado high school graduates who have played in the Presidents Cup. Denver native and Valor Christian grad Wyndham Clark will tee it up for the U.S. this weekend as Montreal hosts the event Thursday through Sunday.
Clark, an impending Colorado Golf Hall of Famer whose three PGA Tour victories include the 2023 U.S. Open, made his Ryder Cup debut last year near Rome and also represented the country at this year’s Olympics near Paris. Now it’s time for the No. 6-ranked player in the world to compete in his first Presidents Cup.
Wyndham Clark at this week’s Presidents Cup site in Montreal. (Photo: @PresidentsCup on X)
“Anytime you can represent the red, white and blue, it’s amazing,” Clark told Colorado Golf Journal last month. “It’s an amazing feeling to put on those colors and represent your country. It doesn’t matter what level it’s at, it’s important and it’s awesome. It’s so much fun. I feel like it’s the most fun you have in golf — playing for something other than just your own personal accolades — playing for your country and your teammates.”
Clark was among those players who held press conferences on Wednesday, and he indicated he’s embracing the spotlight that will be on him and the American team this week.
“I think anytime you’re at these stages you gain fans, you grow as maybe a hometown favorite in Colorado or sometimes for your country,” the 30-year-old said.
Five four-ball matches will be contested on Thursday, followed by five foursomes matchups on Friday. On Saturday, there will be both four four-ball (morning) and four foursomes matches, while 12 singles matches on Sunday will put a wrap on the event.
Clark and Keegan Bradley, who won the BMW Championship at Castle Pines Golf Club last month, will team up to take on Taylor Pendrith and Christiaan Bezuidenhout in Thursday’s four-ball, with the match starting at 10:29 a.m. (MT).
The action will be televised by Golf Channel on Thursday (9:30 a.m.-4 p.m., MT) and Friday (11 a.m.-4 p.m.). On Saturday, it will be Golf Channel from 5-6 a.m., with NBC going from 6 a.m.-4 p.m. And on Sunday, NBC will handle the singles from 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
About the Writer: Gary Baines has covered golf in Colorado continuously since 1983. He was a sports writer at the Daily Camera newspaper in Boulder, then the sports editor there, and has written regularly for ColoradoGolf.org since 2009. The University of Colorado Evans Scholar alum was inducted into the Colorado Golf Hall of Fame in 2022. He owns and operates ColoradoGolfJournal.com