Golf is changing, and so are the people who watch, according to Keegan Bradley.
After the U.S. Open, the former United States Ryder Cup captain, as golf grows in popularity, said there is “a different group of people coming to these tournaments.”
“I think that golf is in the process of leaving just the golf world, where people are coming to tournaments that are sports fans and that’s how, you know, people in New York cheer on the Knicks or the Giants or whatever,” Bradley said Wednesday ahead of the Travelers Championship as he defends his title in Connecticut.
The 40-year-old’s comments were in response to the controversial treatment Wyndham Clark received from fans as he held a wire-to-wire lead at the U.S. Open last week.
Multiple fans were kicked out of the event at Shinnecock Hills on Long Island for allegedly yelling things like “don’t choke Wyndham” and “get in the bunker” before or while he was swinging.
“I found it a little surprising, considering Wyndham’s American, and at the U.S. Open, but Scottie Scheffler’s a really popular player going for the Grand Slam,” Bradley said.
Scheffler was playing alongside Clark on Sunday in the final group as he tried to lock in the final piece of a career grand slam on his 30th birthday.
The world No. 1 golfer was impressed by the way Clark handled the matter and said, “being in the arena is not for everybody.”
Clark saw his six-shot lead entering Sunday shrink to one, but held off Sam Burns to capture his second US Open title after winning in Los Angeles in 2023.
The general dislike for Clark appears to stem from an incident in which he damaged the locker room at the 2025 U.S. Open at Oakmont after missing the cut by a stroke.
“New York didn’t really like me,” Clark said at the trophy ceremony. “I love you guys. But I get it. Some of it’s self deserve.
“I did some unfortunate things last year that I really regret, and I’ve said sorry multiple times, and I’m still sorry. So, hopefully, I can win you guys over eventually.”
Clark was reinstated to the club after he paid for the damage, made a charitable contribution, completed anger management and publicly apologized.