At BMW Championship, Denver's Wyndham Clark is for the kids | Paul Klee

Wyndham Clark has one job at the BMW Championship, and it's not to win the tournament.

It’s to have the next Wyndham Clark remembering that one time at Castle Pines Golf Club.

Colorado golf’s newly crowned spokesman will be the VIP when the PGA Tour returns to 6,380 feet from Aug. 20-25. This one's for the kids.

“I remember when guys like David Duval or top players would throw me a ball or give me a smile or sign something,” Clark said last week during a promotional stop at Castle Pines.

A Valor Christian grad and proud Coloradan, Wyndham is the new Duval, Hale Irwin, Steve Jones. He’s a rarity who can show an aspiring 12-year-old you can get there from here.

The BMW Championship is not a normal Tour stop. The field includes only the top 50 players in the FedExCup points standings. Clark is No. 5 at the moment and won’t be a normal inclusion.

For kids at the tournament — and 15-and-under get in free with a ticketed adult — he’s proof.

If that big power fade off the tee is Clark’s first superpower, engaging with kids is his second. Brian Kettler, one of his teachers at Valor, says Wyndham has regular cornhole dates and backyard swing lessons with Kettler’s four kids.

“Wyndham has a profound ability to make young kids feel special. He has a gift,” Kettler said.

Clark grasps his responsibility as the golf role model here. His own high school coach, Jason Preeo, not only qualified for a U.S. Open; Preeo shot 75-70 at Pebble Beach to make the cut.

High school Wyndham took note.

And there was his own first experience with pro golf: The International at Castle Pines.

“I actually sat on the ninth green,” Clark said. “And I remember watching David Duval and Retief Goosen and Ernie Els at the time being some of the best players in the world. That’s when I knew I wanted to do what they did. That’s 15, 20 years ago.”

Clark doesn’t remember who won that year’s International. Likewise, I had to Google confirm who won the U.S. Senior Open at Cherry Hills in 1993. (Jack Nicklaus, of course.) But I remember carrying the score sign for Gary Player’s group on Saturday. Afterward, Player gave us kids the gloves, balls and a few autographs from his bag. That's 30 years ago.

“I know that I was that kid one time,” Clark said.

Come August at Castle Pines, a bunch of Colorado kids will be logging that one time.

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Coming soon

Denver Gazette sports is going worldwide in July:

-Paris: Mark Kiszla is off to the 2024 Olympic Games. Kiz on the Olympics is a must-read.

-Cooperstown, N.Y.: Luke Zahlmann will cover Todd Helton’s Baseball Hall of Fame induction.

-Las Vegas: Tyler King is ready for Coach Prime’s debut (and Colorado’s return) at Big 12 media days.

-Serbia: Before he tackles the latest Broncos quarterback competition, Chris Tomasson is off to… Sombor? Hey, we know a guy from there.