Wyndham Clark addresses Arnold Palmer Invitational rules-breaking scandal: "How is that my fault?"

Wyndham Clark addressed the media at TPC Sawgrass ahead of The Players Championship this week, a tournament Clark nearly won last year.

Clark addressed the accusation that he cheated during the second round of last week's Arnold Palmer Invitational. On the third hole at Bay Hill, his tee shot landed in a pitch mark and Clark was given a free drop because the ball was deemed to be embedded in the ground.

In watching the video of the shot, the ball clearly bounces before settling, leaving some viewers to believe that the ball landed in someone else's pitch mark and not his own.

Clark at last week's Arnold Palmer Invitational (via Getty)

The PGA Tour announced on X last Friday that the Tour's Rules Committee found that Clark did not take an illegal drop.

"Statement from the PGA TOUR Rules Committee: After reviewing ShotLink video of Wyndham Clark’s tee shot on the third hole during the second round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard, the PGA TOUR Rules Committee determined that the ball returned to its own pitch mark, which entitled Clark to free relief," the post reads.

Golf reporter Dan Rapaport posted a video on X of him asking Clark about the situation ahead of this week's Players Championship. Rapaport asked Clark if he was aware that "the internet" was quick to label Clark as a cheater before the investigation proved that he was correct and that the ball did land in its own pitch mark.

Clark said that he thought nothing of the drop until it was brought up to him when he was signing his scorecard after the round.

"My frustration was that if I did get stroked, how is that my fault when no one told me that I rolled into something if I did roll into someone else's pitch mark... I wasn't trying to cheat by any means. We just walked up, ball was plugged, took an embedded ball rule," he said.

Clark ultimately finished the tournament tied for 22nd place.

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Wyndham Clark aims to avenge narrow loss at last year's Players Championship this week

Clark after missing putt to force a playoff at THE PLAYERS Championship 2024 (via Getty)

The 2023 U.S. Open champion is looking for a win this week after narrowly losing The Players Championship last year to Scottie Scheffler by one shot. Clark shot a final round three-under-par 69 at TPC Sawgrass, only to be bested by Scheffler's final round 64.

The three-time PGA Tour winner had a strong 2024 season, winning the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am ahead of back-to-back runner-up finishes at the Arnold Palmer Invitational and The Players Championship.

Clark has played well thus far in 2025. Of the six events he's played in this year, he's made five cuts. His best finish came at The Sentry in Hawaii, in which he finished tied for 15th. He also finished tied for 16th at the WM Phoenix Open.