NEWYou can now listen to PK Press Club articles!
One analyst has a picky problem with a specific region of golf fans after the U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills last week.
Golf Channel’s Eamon Lynch believes one golf pundit should never return to Long Island, New York, after seeing what happened at one of the country’s legendary courses at Shinnecock Hills during the US Open.
“Long Island golf fans are a stain on golf,” Lynch said during a segment Monday after Wyndham Clark’s second U.S. Open victory of his career.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON PK Press Club
Golf Channel commentator Eamon Lynch watches the second round of the 125th US Open at Oakmont Country Club in Oakmont, Pennsylvania on June 13, 2025. (Andrew Redington/Getty Images)
Lynch continued to lash out at Long Islanders who attended the event, saying they “didn’t deserve” to see another major player at one of his historic courses, including Bethpage Black, which hosted the Ryder Cup last year.
Clark was at the center of Lynch’s argument as authorities had to evict patrons from Shinnecock Hills on Sunday after heckling the US Open leader. Fans were heard shouting “Don’t choke Wyndham”, as well as “Get in the bunker” during his final round.
“It’s not a problem in New York,” Lynch added. “It doesn’t happen in Winged Foot, or in Baltusrol, across the Hudson River. It happens on Long Island every time.”
NEW YORK GOLF FANS DESERVE TO BE CALLED, SAM BURNS GIVES A GOOD SHOUT, WYNDHAM CLARK’S BEST SHOT AT SHINNECOCK
Currently, the PGA of America has set up the PGA Championship for Bethpage Black in 2033.
On this same course, Rory McIlroy and other members of Team Europe were the subject of taunts and heckling that hampered the Ryder Cup last summer. McIlroy was even seen stepping away from the ball to joke about one of the hecklers, while others, including his friend Shane Lowry, were quick to respond.
Then, during the European team’s victory on American soil, McIlroy’s wife, Erica Stoll, had a beer thrown at her while walking on the course.
Rory McIlroy speaks with Golfweek reporter Eamon Lynch during the pro-am before the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Arnold Palmer Bay Hill Golf Course in Orlando, Florida on March 1, 2023. (Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
“I don’t think we should ever accept that in golf,” McIlroy said at the time. “I think golf should be held to a higher standard than what was seen this week.”
Although nothing like this was seen during the four rounds of the U.S. Open last week, Lynch still believes Long Island golf fans have been too “repetitive” and “predictable” to allow high-stakes tournaments to be played there in the future.
“They’re the drunk crypto bros who buy a ticket with dad’s credit card,” Lynch said, even adding that some fans have been privileged in their lives to the point that they’ve been privileged “without ever being arrested for something they said.”
Is there a solution? Lynch believes Augusta National Golf Club is right for the Masters.
“Maybe golf as a whole needs to follow the August National model,” he said. “No phones, no tolerance, no second chances.”
Shinnecock Hills saw Clark become something of a villain among the crowd despite leading the pack throughout the tournament. He has a history of throwing clubs and was notoriously banned from Oakmont during the 2025 US Open after damaging two lockers inside the clubhouse out of frustration. He is no longer allowed to enter the property.
Wyndham Clark celebrates with his girlfriend Emily Tanner after winning the final of the 126th US Open Championship at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in Southampton, NY on June 21, 2026. (Tracy Wilcox/PGA Tour)
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE PK Press Club APP
But despite Clark’s wrongdoings on and off the course, the decorum of being a patron of golf, especially at a major championship, is paramount.
Lynch believes those on Long Island are not following suit.
