Wyndham Clark’s landmark victory and another major near-miss for Rory McIlroy and are among the talking points from a bumper US Open review edition of the Sky Sports Golf podcast.
Rob Lee and Gary Murphy join regular host Josh Antmann to look back at an eventful week at Los Angeles Country Club, where Clark secured a maiden major title with a one-shot victory over McIlroy.
The panel look back at whether Clark coming into the final day as underdog worked to his advantage, despite him sharing the 54-hole lead, plus discuss some of the key moments from his career-changing triumph.
- Who is Wyndham Clark? Golf's newest major champion
- Rory McIlroy ready to 'suffer 100 Sundays' for fifth major
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They explain the importance a mental coach can have for a change in a player's fortunes, after Clark revealed how using one has helped him enjoy his best PGA Tour season to-date and seen him move on the verge of the world's top 10, plus give their verdict on McIlroy's runner-up finish.
McIlroy produced another impressive major performance but experienced a cold putter on the final day, with the guests questioning whether there is any more he could do going forward to find end that nine-year wait for an elusive fifth major title.
"Tiger (Woods) used to close out majors like that, he'd just out-mistake you," Lee explained when describing McIlroy's final day. "Everybody around him would just make mistakes and fold and you just knew he wasn't going to shoot anything stupid, knew he would keep mistakes at a minimum.
"Rory did that in those two major rounds, he did that on a difficult testing final day at the LA Country Club and I think he shot two-under and never holed a putt during the final round at St Andrews last summer.
"You can just argue it didn't happen for you, golf is like that, didn't do anything wrong and it just didn't happen for you. It's very hard to pick a hole in somebody who is leading the tournament in fairway and greens and it doesn't work out in their favour."
Putting struggles also impacted world No 1 Scottie Scheffler once again, who posted a fourth consecutive top-three finish on the PGA Tour without having his A-game, with the trio talking through some of the other storylines from the third men's major of the year.
They give their verdict on the course, which was hosting a major for the first time, plus explain why the crowds were so low and made a muted atmosphere to one traditionally expected at a US Open.
Away from the major action, the guests continue to discuss the recent agreement between the PGA Tour, DP World Tour and Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund and debate what it could mean for the sport going forward.
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