Wyndham Clark Denies Improving His Lie in BMW Rules Flap

Wyndham Clark said Tuesday that he never improved his lie during Sunday's final round of the BMW Championship, responding to questions about a CBS broadcast that showed him testing three different irons behind his ball before an approach shot at Bellerive Country Club.

What happened on the 14th hole?

Clark was tied for the lead with Rory McIlroy when his drive on the par-4 14th found the right rough. Cameras caught him placing an iron behind his ball and taking a practice swing beside it, then repeating the process with two more irons before CBS cut away to Gary Woodland's group. When the broadcast returned, Clark was still working through the routine, his caddie briefly blocking the camera's view.

CBS analyst Frank Nobilo suggested on air that the switch in clubs might have improved the lie. Clark then hit a 9-iron from the spot, made par and closed out a three-stroke victory.

What did Clark say about the scrutiny?

Speaking three days later ahead of the Tour Championship, Clark said he was simply testing clubs to judge how the ball was sitting. "People can think what they want," he said. He pointed to Rule 8.1b(4), which permits players to ground a club lightly in front of or behind the ball, defined as letting the club's weight rest on the grass without pressing down on it. Three clubs tested on one shot is what turns a routine lie check into slow-motion suspicion once a broadcast camera lingers on it.

Three clubs tested on one shot is what turns a routine lie check into slow-motion suspicion.

Has Clark dealt with this before?

Clark referenced two earlier incidents that drew similar attention: a moment during the third round of the 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational when his club moved the grass and ball near his lie without a penalty being assessed, and video from this year's U.S. Open showing him stepping near his ball that circulated online. He also brought up Bryson DeChambeau's penalty at this year's Open Championship for improving the area around his intended swing, calling it evidence that broadcast cameras can make ordinary routines look suspicious.