Obama’s ‘player to coach’ transition draws criticism from Clay Travis
Former President Barack Obama’s declaration to go from a ‘player to a coach’ in the Democratic Party is drawing sharp criticism from OutKick founder Clay Travis. Sean Hannity and Travis discuss Obama’s failed endorsement of Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. Travis humorously suggests that Obama’s poor coaching strategy may turn him into a ‘double agent’ working for the Republicans.
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Wyndham Clark entered Sunday with a six-shot lead at the 2026 US Open and victory seemed all but inevitable until his errant drive on the par-5 16th hole sailed into the thick fescue at Shinnecock Hills.
NBC broadcaster Jim “Bones” Mackay described Clark’s lie in the tall grass as “appalling”. Others in the booth noted that Clark would be lucky to escape with par on the hole. But the 32-year-old American somehow managed to advance the ball almost 180 yards and back into the fairway before hitting his third on the green and then sinking the birdie putt that set the stage for his second US Open win.
Wyndham Clark celebrates with caddy David Pelekoudas after winning the 126th US Open at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club. (Warren Little/Getty Images)
Clark entered the final round with a six-shot lead over four players and was an overwhelming favorite to lift the trophy at the end of the tournament. For most of the weekend, fate seemed to be on his side. It seemed like every time Clark hit a bad shot, the next thing that followed was a commentator saying something like, “he took a break with this one.” Clark led the tournament after every round, becoming the first wire-to-wire US Open winner since Martin Kaymer in 2014.
But he battled through a major shift in luck on Sunday afternoon. Not only did his luck turn, but so did the Long Island crowd. It was clear from the first hole that the gallery was rooting hard for Scottie Scheffler, Clark’s playing partner and one of four players who started the day six shots behind.
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But it spilled over into active cheering for Clark, to the point that the NBC broadcast reported that at least two fans were ejected from the venue for crossing the line with their taunting of Clark. According to reporter Kevin Van Valkenburg, one was ejected for saying “Don’t choke, Wyndham” prior to Clark’s tee shot on No. 4.
Ejectable fouls aside, the crowd roared for every good Scheffler shot, but there was a noticeable groan when Clark would execute a good shot.
Wyndham Clark celebrates after making a putt during the final round of the 126th US Open at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in Southampton, NY on June 21, 2026. (Mike Mulholland/Getty Images)
Unfortunately for Scheffler, and the crowd that followed the group, the world No. 1 didn’t have quite the magic in his clubs on Sunday that Sam Burns did. Trying to become a career Grand Slam winner on her 30th birthday, Scheffler never really put much pressure on Clark. He bogeyed the first hole and shot a one-over 36 on the front nine before trudging his way to a one-over 71.
While most golf fans probably assumed Scheffler would be the guy to chase Clark down, it was Burns who emerged as Clark’s biggest threat after starting the day at even par and seven shots behind Clark.
Not only did Burns come out firing, but Clark struggled early. He bogeyed the par-3 second hole, bogeyed the course’s easiest hole, the par-5 fifth, for another bogey and then added a third dropped stroke with a bogey on No. 7.
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With the momentum clearly gone and Burns charging, it would have been easy for Clark to wilt under the immense pressure. But he managed to steady the ship and make par on No. 8 and No. 9 before ripping the driver on No. 10 right down the middle. The broadcast questioned the choice of club off the tee, but Clark’s plan worked to perfection and he eventually made the first birdie of the day.
Clark made another bogey on No. 13 and Burns got within a shot of the lead.
But two key moments occurred down the stretch. Burns, who was several groups ahead of Clark, nearly stuck his birdie putt on 18. When the putt just missed the right side of the cup, Burns fell to his knees. It was as if he knew he might be this close to winning the US Open. And he was.
Clark’s 24-and-a-half-foot birdie putt on 16 pushed his lead over Burns back to two shots with two holes to play. At that moment, Clark could feel the trophy in his hands, a familiar feeling as he won the 2023 US Open at Los Angeles Country Club.
Wyndham Clark celebrates with girlfriend Emily Tanner after winning the 126th US Open at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club. (Warren Little/Getty Images)
But his nerves showed on No. 17. Clark hit a conservative tee shot on the par-3, leaving himself with a nearly 70-foot putt. His birdie effort came up six feet short, and he followed that up by pulling his par putt left to drop his lead back to one.
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All Clark needed to do on the 72nd hole of the tournament was make par and he would become a two-time US Open champion. And that’s exactly what he did, even if it didn’t start out great. Clark leaked his tee shot to the right and it went into the rough. He got the ball to the green in two but was over 50 feet away. Clark calmly stepped up and made his putt perfectly within a foot of the hole, knocking in for par and becoming a two-time major champion.
And on Father’s Day, Clark’s father surprised him by taking a red-eye flight to New York so he could greet his son after the win.
Most importantly, however, Clark became the first American to win a major in 2026 after Europeans Rory McIlroy and Aaron Rai won the Masters and PGA Championship respectively.
It also means that the US Open trophy stays where it belongs.
