Did Wyndham Clark improve his lie on 18? All you need to know about the controversial move

During the third round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational 2024, Wyndham Clark was embroiled in controversy. On the 18th hole at Bay Hill Club & Lodge, he attempted to weigh on his club near the ball. This action sparked controversy on social media, with some fans accusing the American golfer of attempting to cheat by improving his lie.

As Clark took his shot on the final hole, the ball nestled deep into the grass, prompting him to try weighing his club near its edge before hitting the ball. And when zooming in on the cameras, it seemed like the ball moved a bit. However, the movement couldn't be determined with the naked eye.

Golf reporter Espen Blaker brought attention to the incident on social media, revealing that rules officials, alongside Clark's playing partner Scottie Scheffler, reviewed the situation in the scoring room.

On keenly observing the ball, they concluded that no penalty was warranted. Additionally, Clark defended himself by stating, "I didn't try to cheat."

Heading into the third round, Clark held the lead, but following the conclusion of Saturday's 18 holes, he found himself slipping down to a solo third-position finish with a score of 8-under par. He trailed tournament leaders Scheffler and Shane Lowry by a solitary stroke. Notably, his bogey on the 18th hole during Saturday's play cost him his lead in the game.

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"I'm not cheating" - Wyndham Clark defends his actions on the 18th hole controversy

Wyndham Clark discussed what happened on the 18th hole during the Arnold Palmer Invitational. The 2023 US Open winner clarified that he didn't try to cheat. He mentioned that things got worse when close-up pictures started spreading online.

During his interview with Golf Channel, Clark mentioned that officials looked into the situation with Scheffler and found that the ball didn't move. He also said that he didn't get any penalty for it.

Talking about the incident, Clark said, via Golf Central (h/t NUCLR Golf):

"I'm not cheating or anything like that or trying to improve my lie. Obviously, they zoom in, and it makes it look worse… We all talked about it. Scottie [and] the rules official didn't think it moved. So, fortunately that [a penalty] didn't happen."

Clark struggled with his game in the third round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational. He shot a round of 71 with two double bogeys, four birdies, one bogey, and an eagle. The 30-year-old Denver native started the game with a double bogey on the first hole and then hit a birdie on the third.

Clark shot two birdies and two double bogeys on the front nine and two birdies, an eagle, and a bogey on the back nine. He is just one stroke behind the leaders as he heads into the final round. It'll be interesting to see if he can come out on top and win this prestigious tournament despite the one-stroke difference.

The fourth round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational is set for Sunday, March 10th.