Wyndham Clark has denied cheating after winning the BMW Championship for the first time in his career. The American golfer finished ahead of Patrick Cantlay and Rory McIlroy, banking £2.6million ($3.6m) after coming out on top in the second play-off event.
Accusations from co-commentator
The shine of his victory may have been marred by co-commentator Frank Nobilo, who suggested Clark could have improved his lie when setting up a shot from the rough on the 14th hole. The two-time major champion assessed his shot using several different clubs.
While golfers are allowed to ground their club, unless situated in a bunker, any action judged as excessive, like pressing down, can be seen as a rule violation and may result in a two-stroke penalty. Accusations on social media were made against Clark for potentially bending the rules, with the world No. 5 asked about the claims in a press conference before the Tour Championship.
Clark's response
He said: "I didn't really hear much about it. I know the shot that you're talking about. I think any player, when they're trying to judge a lie, takes out different clubs to see what it feels like.
"I never fully put the club down behind it. I don't think anything of it. When the cameras are on you, they're going to find anything."
This isn't the first time Clark has been the centre of controversy regarding the rules. During his US Open victory earlier this year, questions arose on whether the golfer was improving the conditions of his stroke while in deep rough.
The dispute was put to Clark, who defended his actions and said: "It's happened to a lot of guys where they can see stuff that maybe looks like something that maybe it's not. That lie [in the BMW] was never bad. It was more just judging what it was. By no means did I take a bad lie and make it really good. People can think what they want. I know I didn't do anything that was costing the integrity of the field. That's all I've got to say about that."
McIlroy's finish
Rory McIlroy finished third in the BMW Championship. The Northern Irishman had placed himself in good stead on the final day, having been tied for the lead with three holes remaining. However, he slipped to a third-place finish at the end of the session.
McIlroy's second Masters title in April remains the only tournament he's won this year. Ahead of the Tour Championship, the 37-year-old admitted he's not satisfied with his swing and his overall performance.
He said: "I'm closer [with his game] than I was at the start of the week. I'm still not in a spot where I'm super happy with where my game is or where my swing is, so I just have to keep working on it.
"It's nice to know, even when I'm not super happy with everything, I can still piece it together and get it around and still give myself a chance to win tournaments."
