Wyndham Clark and Brian Harman may not have been expecting to play in the Ryder Cup at the start of 2023, but the major-winning duo are ready to experience the fervour of the biennial spectacular this weekend.
The pair are both making their debuts for the U.S. Team at Marco Simone Golf and Country Club after seasons that have seen them burst out of the pack and take their careers to previously unseen heights.
Clark entered the year 163rd in the Official World Golf Ranking but comes into Ryder Cup week 10th following his first PGA Tour win at the Wells Fargo Championship with victory at the U.S. Open in Los Angeles.
Those wins, coupled with a consistency that has seen him miss just one cut since October last year, saw Clark finish second in U.S. qualifying but he admits he is still pinching himself to be on the biggest stage of all.
"It's an amazing feeling," said the 29-year-old Clark. "It's something that at the beginning of the year... I just didn't have it in my goals. Then we have a great year and win two times, won a major, and then now here at the Ryder Cup.
"It's been an amazing year and honestly something that I've always dreamed about. I'm just so humbled and blessed to be here.
"I haven't had that much time to sit back and think about things. The nice thing is after the Tour Championship, I had these last four weeks off and all the talk was about this, the Ryder Cup.
"That's when I'm like, 'oh my gosh, I can't even believe that I'm here'.
"Then when we got here and all the cool things that go on, I just look back and I think about my dad sent me a really nice text, and he goes, 'W, we used to watch these things and now you're playing in it'.
"That's stuff that every kid dreams about and now I'm doing that, it's amazing.
"I'm still pinching myself every day and once we get started, obviously I'm going to try to be in grind mode and be the best I can, but I'm still going to be hopefully soaking it all in because this is the pinnacle of golf.
"To be considered one of the top 12 American players is just such a huge honour."
Harman arrived at Royal Liverpool in July ranked 26th in the world but his victory in The Open Championship was still regarded as a shock by many, despite him having two previous PGA Tour wins to his name and having been in the top 100 for much of the previous nine years.
Obviously the home teams in the Ryder Cups have been extremely successful and a lot of that has to do with the fans. They can affect outcomes of matches
It cannot be denied, however, that being Champion Golfer of the Year has brought him new levels of fame, something he is trying to embrace.
"It's been a whirlwind," he said. "Really excited to be here. It's been a lot the last couple of months but super elated."
He was certainly noticed by the crowds at Hoylake, some of whom were less than appreciative of his brilliance as he cantered to a six-shot win, and he knows he is likely to face more of the same this week.
"I don't think there's any way to prepare for it," he said. "I expect them to be as fervent and I expect to be at times overwhelmed by it, just like I was at The Open Championship. It was overwhelming at times.
"The best you can do is just acknowledge it and just move forward and try not to let it affect you as best you can. But it will affect you. You'd be silly not to think that.
"Obviously the home teams in the Ryder Cups have been extremely successful and a lot of that has to do with the fans. They can affect outcomes of matches.
"It's just our job to try to stay as present as possible and execute more than the other guys and see what happens.
"It's kind of like if you're trying to give someone advice if they're about to have their first child. There's nothing you can tell them to get them ready for it.
"No, your life is going to change, it's going to be really hard, but you'll get through it. There's lots of people that have done it, and it's up to you how you handle it."
