CASTLE ROCK — Given the way he’s played recently, the hometown crowd could be in for something special if Wyndham Clark is anywhere near the top of the leaderboard here Sunday morning.
Clark, who grew up playing on Front Range courses, is back to play a PGA Tour event in his home state for the first time. He enters the weekend as the No. 6-ranked player on the tour, fresh off an appearance at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.
His year started great, had some wobbles in the middle and could be turning around at the right time in the second of three FedEx Cup playoff events — the BMW Championship at Castle Pines Golf Club this Thursday through Sunday.
“I’ve gone back to a little bit more of a process. I think I was getting a little too outcome-focused,” Clark said this week. “As I had some early success in the year and was playing amazing golf, I think I just got — just falling short of Scottie (Sheffler) a couple of times and then you’re thinking, okay — I just got too much into winning and trying to break through and win in some of those big events.
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“Then I got away from everything that made me successful, and I feel like recently kind of in the last probably four weeks I’ve gotten back to the process of focusing on the things that got me here, playing good golf, and I’ve started to play good golf.”
Clark won for the third time on the PGA Tour at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am in February. That tournament only had three rounds, but his charge to the finish line with a 60 to finish at 17-under-par was a harbinger of things to come.
He has not won since Pebble Beach, but Clark has made Sunday surges up the leaderboard a staple of his recent play. There was a 63 on Sunday at The Travelers Championship in June to finish tied for ninth. Then a 62 at the Scottish Open in July for another backdoor top-10.
Clark missed the cut at The British Open, but his last two events — the Olympics in France and the FedEx St. Jude Championship — have followed a similar script. It’s been a slow start, but a scorching-hot finish.
“I really feel like when I’m playing my best, it’s very process (oriented),” Clark said. “All I care about is my routine, doing the best I can before I get into the ball mentally, post-shot mentally, post-round, before round. That’s all I cared about, and that’s all I judge myself on.
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“I think I just crept in a little bit too much of looking at the scoreboard and trying to force things to happen rather than just let them happen.”
Clark said he tries to avoid what is written and said about him in the media, but something about how he played when he scuffled through a 75 in the opening round at the Olympics found its way into his orbit.
That may have provided a little extra motivation. Either way, he went 68-65-65 over the final three rounds and the momentum he felt he was creating was fully restored.
“Even that back nine on that first day, I just hit it in the water and missed a couple of short putts, otherwise it probably would have been an even par or a 1-under round,” Clark said. “We might be talking about a bronze medal if that back nine was a little bit different.
“That definitely was a huge confidence boost for me because I know there was a lot of media talk about me being there and how bad I played and whatnot, and I wanted to prove to myself and my country that I’m a top American player.”
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Wyndham Clark signs autographs for fans after finishing on the ninth hole during the Gardner Heidrick Pro-Am tournament of BMW Championship at Castle Pines Golf Club in Castle Rock, Colorado on Aug. 21, 2024. (Photo by Helen H. Richardson/The Denver Post)
Now he arrives home in Colorado, with a chance to put an exclamation point on what has been a second straight successful season after four years of grinding as a pro. Clark has seven top-10 finishes this year in 18 events, including three of the past five.
When he’s on, Clark is right there with the best in the world — a fact he proved in May 2023 when he won the U.S. Open at the Los Angeles Country Club. If he can avoid a slow start at Castle Pines, he might get the chance to lean on a hometown crowd ready to cheer him to victory.
“Obviously what Scottie and Xander (Schaufele) are doing, I think everyone is holding all of us to a really high standard compared to them,” Clark said, referencing the top two players in the FedExCup Playoffs standings. “But it was an amazing year. Last year I was roughly in the same spot coming into this event; I was in fifth. Last year was an amazing year, too.
“It’s been an amazing run of two years, and I’m really pleased, and I’m hoping this is just an upward trend.”
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BOTTOM LINE: A game after shutting out the Vancouver Whitecaps 3-0, the Colorado Rapids play the Seattle Sounders.
The Sounders are 9-6-4 in conference matchups. The Sounders rank fifth in the Western Conference with 98 shots on goal, averaging 4.7 per game.
The Rapids are 7-8-4 against Western Conference opponents. The Rapids rank 10th in the league drawing 108 corner kicks, averaging 4.7 per game.
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Wednesday’s game is the second time these teams meet this season. The last meeting ended tied 1-1.
TOP PERFORMERS: Albert Rusnak has eight goals and four assists for the Sounders. Jesus Ferreira has scored three goals over the past 10 games.
Rafael Navarro has scored eight goals with one assist for the Rapids. Djordje Mihailovic has three goals and three assists over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Sounders: 5-3-2, averaging 1.4 goals, 3.6 shots on goal and 4.5 corner kicks per game while allowing 1.5 goals per game.
Rapids: 4-5-1, averaging 1.2 goals, 3.4 shots on goal and 4.8 corner kicks per game while allowing 1.3 goals per game.
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NOT EXPECTED TO PLAY: Sounders: Stuart Russell Hawkins (injured), Yeimar Gomez Andrade (injured), Kim Kee-Hee (injured), Joao Paulo (injured), Paul Arriola (injured), Stefan Frei (injured).
Rapids: Alex Harris (injured), Wayne Frederick (injured).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
From fresh water to hot pavement, here are a few things to keep in mind when it comes to dogs, heat and summer.
Five dog-friendly trails in or near Fort Collins, Colorado, offer various hiking experiences.
Options range from short loops to longer trails, some with water access for dogs.
The only thing better than hiking the many Fort Collins-area trails is doing it with your dog.
Here are five favorite dog-friendly trails in or near Fort Collins to check out.
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Dogs must be on a leash and though rare, rattlesnakes can be found on all of these trails, so stay on the trail and be vigilant. These are all multiuse trails, so make sure to have control of your dog.
Horsetooth Falls Loop
Where: Horsetooth Mountain Open Space. West of Horsetooth Reservoir
The hike: You have options. It’s an easy 1.1 miles one way on a nonpaved trail to the falls, which you and your dog will find refreshing after the sunny hike. Either head back the way you came or do the moderate 3.1-mile loop via the Spring Creek, Horsetooth Rock and South Ridge trails back to the parking lot. The trail to the falls can be crowded.
Fee: $10 for county resident daily permit.
Information: Visit the Larimer County website.
Want a preview? Check out this video from 2021:
See why Horsetooth Falls hike is the best in years
Abundant spring rain has the falls flowing, vistas vibrant green and the wildflowers blooming.
Miles Blumhardt, Fort Collins Coloradoan
Pineridge Natural Area
Where: On the western edge of Fort Collins. The main parking lot is on Larimer County Road 42C (approximate address is 2750 County Road 42C).
The hike: Your dog will enjoy splashing in Dixon Reservoir and its 1.8-mile, nonpaved loop. If you wish to venture farther, there are more soft surface trails found on the 9.6-mile Foothills Trail that connects Pineridge, Maxwell and Reservoir Ridge natural areas. There is little shade on this hike, so mornings and evenings are better options.
Fee: Free.
Hours: 5 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Information: Visit the Fort Collins Natural Areas web page for Pineridge Natural Area.
Lory State Park East/West Valley trails
Where: Just west of Horsetooth Reservoir, 708 Lodgepole Drive.
The hike: The easy, 2.2-mile East Valley Trail takes you on a nonpaved trail to the shores of Horsetooth Reservoir, where your dog can enjoy the water (but not at designated human swimming areas). You can either head back the same way or add the 2.3-mile, nonpaved West Valley Loop back for a more difficult route. No shade, so enjoy the water.
Fee: $10 daily vehicle pass.
Hours: 5 a.m. to sunset.
Information: Visit the Colorado Parks and Wildlife web page for Lory State Park.
Reservoir Ridge Natural Area
Where: Parking lots on Centennial Drive/Larimer County Road 23, the west end of Michaud Lane and off Overland Trail Road (at approximately 1425 Overland Trail Road).
The hike: About 5 miles of nonpaved trail takes you along the foothills with great views of Fort Collins. There is no water and little shade on this hike, so early morning and late evening are best. This trail connects to the 9.6-mile Foothills Trail.
Fee: Free.
Hours: 5 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Information: Visit the Fort Collins Natural Areas web page for Reservoir Ridge Natural Area.
Arapaho Bend Natural Area
Where: East side of Fort Collins near Interstate 25. Parking lots at the east end of Horsetooth Road, Strauss Cabin Road between Horsetooth Road and Harmony Road, and one at the Harmony Transfer Center.
The hike: If pressed for time, this is a good go-to. It includes a mix of 4 miles of paved and nonpaved trails that wind among ponds, Rigden Reservoir and the Poudre River, with some shade provided by large cottonwood trees.
Fee: Free.
Hours: 5 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Information: Visit the Fort Collins Natural Areas web page for Arapaho Bend Natural Area.
Colorado is turning up the heat this week. Expect temperatures in the 90s across the Denver metro area and plains through Tuesday.
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There’s a chance for isolated showers and storms Monday and Tuesday. The best chance for rain in Denver and the plains arrives mid‑week. Wednesday’s forecast shows a mid‑afternoon thunderstorm rolling through, potentially bringing hail and gusty winds to lower elevations.
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By Wednesday, highs dip to the lower 80s and upper 70s offering a bit of relief from the heat . However, this cooldown is short‑lived. Expect temperatures to rebound into the mid to upper 80s on Thursday and bounce into the low 90s Friday and Saturday.
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Callie Zanandrie
Callie Zanandrie provides the latest forecast from the First Alert Weather Center for CBS News Colorado. Read her bio & send her an email.
