Just five weeks shy of the year’s inaugural major, the best players on the PGA Tour are honing their skills for the upcoming Augusta showdown. But it’s not smooth sailing for everyone; the two-time Masters champion who dominated the 2024 season is struggling to regain his form in 2025. The player in question is none other than Scottie Scheffler, whose current form is a shadow of his 2024 glory.
In a brutally honest revelation, the 2023 US Open champion, Wyndham Clark, unmasks his feelings about Scheffler’s past dominance. Speaking to the press on Thursday at the 2025 Arnold Palmer Invitational, Clark did not mince his words. Reflecting on his second-place finish to Scheffler at last year’s tournament, Clark quipped with a laugh, “It’s unfortunate. I had a few tournaments last year that if Scottie wasn’t in the field I would have won. Maybe can I get some redemption in these next few weeks and hopefully Scottie’s not up there.”
Clark’s candid admission sheds light on the competitive psyche of the top pros. His frustrations are understandable. He repeatedly found himself taking the backseat to Scheffler last season, most notably at this very tournament, where Scheffler won by a significant five-stroke margin. Clark also led the PLAYERS Championship by four strokes after 36 holes, only to see Scheffler sweep past him with a record-breaking final-round 64. A missed 4-foot putt on the 72nd hole by Clark, which could have forced a playoff, added to his heartbreak.
Admitting a rival’s superiority is a tough pill to swallow for any athlete. And Clark’s open wish for Scheffler’s absence from leaderboards shows the mental strain of persistently being the runner-up. Meanwhile, Scheffler’s 2025 performance has been less than stellar, featuring lackluster results: T9 at AT&T Pebble Beach, an unexpected T25 at the WM Phoenix Open, and a T3 at Genesis, where a disastrous third-round 76 cost him dearly.
However, Clark’s actions during the opening round at Bay Hill spoke louder than his words. While most of the field was grappling with harsh conditions, Clark maneuvered through Bay Hill with impeccable precision. He posted a field-leading 5-under 67, putting him two strokes clear of his closest competitor and four strokes ahead of Scheffler.
Clark’s performance was in stark contrast to Scheffler’s. PGA Tour statistics reveal that Clark’s 67 included a bogey-free back nine with three birdies, closing with a tap-in on the 18th. Scheffler, on the other hand, managed a decent 1-under 71, but his -1.1 strokes lost on the greens underlined his current struggle compared to his previous year’s dominance.
Despite the challenging conditions, Clark managed to post an impressive score when the scoring average shot up to 74.5 and only 14 players broke par. His strategic adjustments at Bay Hill, balancing aggression with restraint, reflect his growth as a player. Clark’s prudent approach contrasts with his past tendency to overcompensate when out of position, leading to greater scores.
The timing couldn’t be more opportune for Clark. With just a week until the PLAYERS Championship—where he was denied victory by Scheffler last year—and five weeks until the Masters, his solid start at Bay Hill suggests his “redemption” plans may well be in motion. The question of whether Scheffler can regain his winning form remains the tournament’s main narrative. But one thing is certain: Clark isn’t just waiting for Scheffler to falter—he’s seizing his opportunity.
