3 Lessons From Wyndham Clark's BMW Championship Win

Similar to his U.S. Open victory, Wyndham Clark saw a large lead quickly vanish in the final round. Sunday at the BMW Championship, his five-shot lead faded after 11 holes to put himself in a tie with Rory McIlroy. 

But Clark rallied a string of pars and then birdies in his final three holes to capture his third win this season and put himself firmly in contention for Player of the Year. 

Here’s three lessons we can learn from Clark on Sunday:

After shooting a couple over on the front nine and eventually squandering his lead, Clark surely didn’t change his process. He stayed patient, didn’t force birdies, rather waited for his opportunity to close the door.

Three consecutive birdies surely will do it. 

– Stick to your routine regardless of the outcome from the previous hole(s)

– Accept pars as a great score

– Wait for your opportunity 

Next time you're on the course, make it your goal to make as many pars as possible. If you hit a poor drive or approach, prioritize getting yourself back into position to make par rather than trying to immediately make up for the mistake. Sometimes, chasing birdies can turn a bad hole into a big number. 

When Clark finally got his opportunity late in Sunday’s round, he took advantage of it. He didn't simply hang on after regaining the lead, rather finishing strong with three straight birdies. 

Patience doesn't mean playing scared, but waiting for the right opportunity and then committing when it arrives.

– Don't change your strategy simply because the pressure increases

– Commit to your target and club selection

– When you have an opportunity, make a confident swing

On the range, create your own pressure. Pick one target and give yourself three attempts to hit it. Before each shot, go through your full routine and commit to the target. If you miss, reset and start over.

Clark couldn’t control whether Rory made a birdie or whether his five-shot lead disappeared. He could only control his next shot. 

– Focus on the shot in front of you, not your score or position

– Don’t let a bad shot dictate the next one

– Judge success by your process, not the immediate result

Play nine holes without looking at your scorecard until you finish. Whenever you make a bogey or worse, your next hole becomes a process hole. Your only goal is to execute your routine on every shot, not to willingly try and make a birdie.