For the first time in 44 years, the USA has bragging rights when it comes to hockey.
And as it turns out, Wyndham Clark isn’t about to let any Canadian hockey fans forget him.
Saturday at RBC Canadian OpenClark took to the Canadian golf faithful with a playful troll, reminding TPC Toronto’s hockey-obsessed fans of the winner of this year’s Olympic hockey competition.
The scene arrived at The Rink, the hockey-themed 14th hole at the Canadian Open. The rink is a new development of the Canadian Open – a place that aims to repeat the success of the so-called “Stadium Hole” at WM Phoenix Open. Every year, huge stands are erected at The Rink, and in recent years, players have been encouraged to play into the frenzy of the crowd through all kinds of silly side hustles. This year, the special effect is a hockey jersey for any player who wants to wear one.
Wyndham Clark was definitely among the players interested in The Rink. He shot a 63 on Saturday, seven under, to put himself on top early in the afternoon. By the time he got to the 14th, he was feeling it — and ready to have some fun with the Canadian Open faithful.
As he went to the jersey, he pulled out a fresh hockey jersey and laid it over his shirt. But this was none normal hockey jersey. It was a Team USA jersey, Jack Hughes no. 86 in blue. It was, for the uninformed, the exact jersey, color and player that beat the Canadians in overtime in the gold medal game in February. Hughes scored the “golden goal” just minutes into overtime, driving a dagger into the hearts of the Canadians and bringing home a gold medal in American hockey for the first time since 1980 “miracle on ice” in Lake Placid, NY.
Now, Clark was wearing the same jersey in front of the Canadian golf faithful and they were having none of it. Boos fell on Clark as he stood on the freighter with a smile and no shortage of bravado.
Those teasings didn’t stop when he hit his tee shot — a packed approach to just five feet — nor did they stop as he strode to the green and confidently knocked down his birdie putt.
Eventually, Clark took off his shirt and continued on with the rest of his round, and the Canadian golf faithful returned to their characteristic graciousness … only perhaps this time with a new tour villain.
