Wyndham Clark has to ride his bike to the golf course because he isn’t old enough to drive. When asked if he has a girlfriend, he quickly replies, “I wish.”
Clark speaks with the confidence of a 30- year-old, even though he’s half that age. And did we mention that Clark wants to be the best golfer in the world?
Clark, a sophomore at Valor Christian in Highlands Ranch, has become Colorado’s newest, and perhaps youngest, golf phenom. He recently won the U.S. Junior Amateur sectional qualifying at Boomerang Links in Greeley after posting rounds of 66 and 67 for an 11-under-par 133. His nearest competitor was six strokes back. Before that, he won the CGA Junior Stroke Play Championship, lapping the competition. He finished at 8-under 205, 11 strokes better than the runner-up.
“I think that because you can never be perfect in golf, I love working towards trying to be perfect, even though it is impossible,” said Clark, looking out over his home course, Cherry Hills Country Club.
Clark’s first foray into golf was when he was just a tyke. Clark’s mother, while driving by the local golf course, stopped to let her young son expend some energy. She got 100 balls and a small club for her son to use, and when the 3-year-old Wyndham hit all of the balls, he asked for another bucket.
“A guy came by and said, ‘How long has he been playing?’ and I said, ‘About 30 minutes,’ ” Lise Clark remembers. “And he said, ‘Don’t change his swing.’ ”
Wyndham Clark has dabbled in several sports, including baseball, soccer and basketball. But his love is golf, though he still plays basketball at Valor Christian.
Clark made his first hole-in-one when he was 6. When he was 8, he entered his first tournament . . . and won.
“I guess to motivate myself, being number one is my ultimate goal, and I know that each day will get me either a step closer or a step further from my goal,” Clark said. “So, if you think of it that way, you never want to slack off because that gets you behind.”
It would make sense that Clark wants to be just like Tiger Woods. And while people aren’t calling him a younger version of Tiger (yet), he is a local celebrity around the country club.
“It’s cliche to say it because every athlete wants to compete, but he’s not going to be satisfied until he beats everybody,” said Dustin Jen- sen, director of youth programs for the Colorado Golf Association.
But being able to play a sport he enjoys so much does have its drawbacks. Clark had to mature quickly because he spends so much time on the golf course, something he says is a double-edged sword.
“It’s really helped me become a gentleman,” Clark said. “It’s great because I have so many friends here and, because they are older, they mentor me and help me with a lot of things.”
But on the flip side, he is a kid who lives in an older man’s world.
“It’s hard. You can’t do anything wrong, you can’t blow up,” he said.
Now, with the U.S. Junior Amateur Championship and the Junior World Golf Championship on the horizon, Clark continues to practice and look forward. He wants to be the best of the best.
Anica Wong: 303-954-1720 or awong@denverpost.com
SPOTLIGHT: PAUL GOYDOS
British Open a possibility
Paul Goydos tied for second last week at the Travelers Championship, which came with a big check and a small consolation. He moved into position to qualify for the British Open on a special, cumulative money list.
The British Open exempts the top two players (not already eligible) on a money list that includes The Players Championship, Memorial, St. Jude Classic, U.S. Open, Travelers Championship and this week’s AT&T National.
Goydos earned $528,000 at Hartford, putting his total on the special money list at $759,467. That places him atop the list among players not already eligible, leading U.S. Open runner-up Ricky Barnes ($588,762), John Mallinger ($584,319) and Kevin Na ($584,150).
QUALIFYING EFFORT FALLS SHORT
Holmes out of PGA field
Boulder’s Perry Holmes jumped up the leaderboard after the final round of the PGA Club Professional National Championship at Twin Warriors in Santa Ana Pueblo, N.M., on Wednesday. But his 5-over-par 289 left him in 50th place, excluding him from qualifying for this year’s PGA Championship.
The teaching pro at Green Gables Country Club and Coal Creek Golf Course moved up four spots after the third round with a 2-over 73 on Wednesday. Mike Small, head coach of the men’s golf team at the University of Illinois, earned medalist honors with a 277. The top 20 qualify for the PGA Championship at Hazeltine in Minnesota in August.
THIS WEEK’S TOURNAMENTS
PGA TOUR
AT&T National
Congressional Country Club, Blue Course, Bethesda, Md.
Today and Friday: 1-4 p.m., GOLF
Saturday: 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m., GOLF; 1-4 p.m., CBS
Sunday: 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m., GOLF; 1-4:30 p.m., CBS
LPGA TOUR
Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic
At Highland Meadows Golf Club, Sylvania, Ohio
Today: No TV
Friday: 2-4 p.m., ESPN2
Saturday: 1-3 p.m., ESPN2
Sunday: 2-4 p.m., ESPN2
NATIONWIDE TOUR
Off this week
Denver Post staff and wire reports
