Play Big

Hi friends,

Less than two weeks ago, my mom, Aunt Susan, and I attended the U.S. Open on Long Island as part of my Uncle Al’s 80th birthday celebration. For much of the final round, I followed the leader, Wyndham Clark, a 32-year-old from Denver. Although he won the tournament, it wasn't an easy day for him. He was paired with World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, the overwhelming crowd favorite, on Scheffler’s 30th birthday. Sam Burns kept making a charge. The crowds weren’t shy about letting Clark know who they wanted to win, and a handful of hecklers spent the afternoon trying to get under his skin.

One thing kept catching my attention, though. Before nearly every shot, after talking through the situation, Clark's caddie, David Pelekoudas, would say the same two words: “Good process.” Not “good shot,” or “good hole,” or “good result” — just “good process,” which I was thinking about for the next day or so. I had never heard that kind of messaging.

Then I started reading more about Clark, and what I learned had little to do with golf.

When Clark was 19, his mother, Lise, died of breast cancer. Before she passed away, she left him with a message on her deathbed: “Play big.” Those words became his compass in golf, yes, but also in life. “Play big” guides him to have the courage to fully become who he’s capable of becoming.

“Playing big is one of the last things my mom said to me, and something I hold very dear in my life,” Clark has said. “My mom always talked about playing for something bigger than myself. She wanted me to play big, to be a role model, someone others can emulate. It is not just a mantra for me but a lifestyle, something I try to live out every single day of my life.”

Clark’s mother introduced him to golf when he was 3 years old. As he grew up, she’d tuck handwritten notes into his golf bag, backpack, and gym bag before school and tournaments. He was embarrassed when his friends saw them. Looking back, he has said he’d give anything to receive one of those notes from her today.

“She called me ‘Winner’ when I was little, so she would just say, ‘I love you, Winner,’” Clark recalled.

I just love the framing of “play big” and what it means. Beyond golf, it could mean to “live big,” to go all out, leave no stone unturned, and really strive for everything you wish for. Use your gifts, take your shot, and live for something bigger than yourself. (It also reminds me of a Naval Ravikant quote: “Go big, because we all go home.”)

Last year, after missing the cut at Oakmont, Clark damaged a locker in frustration. There isn’t much to defend about that, and he received well-deserved scrutiny.

He later apologized multiple times, paid for the repairs, made a charitable donation, completed anger management and counseling, and doubled down on the mental side of his game with longtime performance coach Julie Elion. By his account, the incident was the lowest point of his career and forced him to confront aspects of himself he needed to change, notably his anger management.

Last Sunday, after winning his second U.S. Open, Clark called the victory “redemption.” I don’t think he meant the mistake disappeared. I think he meant something harder: he owned it, accepted the consequences, and kept doing the hard work.

I’ve thought about the words Clark’s caddie said -"good process"- and how that can help any of us heading into any situation, from a conversation with a friend or loved one to a task at work… to the gym or the golf course.

What would it look like if, before each meeting, conversation, workout, project, or decision, we reminded ourselves: Good process.

In my view, Clark sticking to “good process” is also what “playing big” looks like: Showing up to each shot (or each day) with confidence and courage, and trusting that we will keep following a good approach. A good process doesn't guarantee success, but it gives us the best chance of evolving into the person we're capable of being.