One of the most fundamental pillars in sports is that every single fan has the right, and maybe even a responsibility of sorts, to pick a side. Sometimes the side you choose wins, and sometimes it loses.

In golf, the latter happens far more often than the former, but sometimes an outlier emerges where the typical formula is flipped on its head, and a player almost nobody latched onto is left standing in the winner's circle all by their lonesome.

Wyndham Clark was that outlier at the U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills, and it's a role he not only looked comfortable playing across four days and 72 holes of major championship golf, but one he had to play.

Beyond the typical touch of arrogance and brashness that we see from various figures in sports deemed a "villain" by the masses — who it's worth pointing out almost always enjoy success — Clark has well-accounted-for baggage.

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During the final round of the 2025 PGA Championship, Clark violently threw his driver behind him after an errant tee shot. The club ended up breaking, and the head of the club went through an advertisement sign just a few feet away from a volunteer on the tee box. He apologized for the incident the next day.

Just a month later, after missing the cut by a shot at the 2025 U.S. Open at Oakmont, Clark took apart two lockers inside the clubhouse in frustration. Weeks after damaging the lockers, Oakmont barred him from the property.

Clark first apologized for the incident at Oakmont the following week at the Travelers Championship, and has done so on multiple occasions since, while explaining that he regretted his actions.

Clark has done what anyone else in his situation would do: continue to apologize, begin to say the right things and try to move past the very public mistakes.

Actions, however, do have consequences, and when a former major champion throws a driver through a sign and destroys two lockers inside a clubhouse, the consequence is the removal of the benefit of the doubt.

The reality is that Clark's apologies fell on deaf ears, and no matter how genuine a message he's tried to articulate about regretting his mistakes, the public's mind has been made up. Fair or unfair, Clark has dues to pay.

There are easier places to start paying those dues than a U.S. Open at Shinnecock, but it's fair to say he put down quite the down payment with his performance.

From the moment Clark grabbed the lead on Thursday and the first round ended with him four shots clear of the field, the pitchforks were out, and they only got sharper as the week went on. From fans to legacy media to non-traditional media, every corner in the golf space was filled with people actively pulling for Wyndham to implode with the sense of pride unlike anything in recent memory.

Given the sheer volume of it, you couldn't help but become numb to all the vitriol towards Clark on social media through the opening three rounds.

WYNDHAM CLARK SURVIVES HOSTILE CROWD AND SAM BURNS CHARGE TO WIN SECOND US OPEN AT SHINNECOCK HILLS

While Clark passed his first three tests of the week and carried a six-shot lead into the final round, Sunday's dose of hatred made the previous three days look like a post-dinner stroll in a gated community. But again, one of the key pillars in sports is choosing a side, and it just so happened that nine out of every 10 fans on property at Shinnecock on Sunday chose violence against Clark.

Countless shouts for his ball to find a bunker the millisecond after he made contact with it, cheers when an approach shot rolled off the putting surface, and minor roars after each of his five bogeys during the final round. NBC reported during the telecast that some fans who were shouting things at Clark were removed from the property by authorities.

Before Clark had even made the turn on Sunday, the classless crowd had lost containment, and Clark was paying his dues in the form of taking every lick imaginable from the galleries while trying to become a two-time U.S. Open champion.

GOLF CHANNEL'S BRANDEL CHAMBLEE SPEAKS HARD TRUTH ABOUT TIGER WOODS' PROFANE BEHAVIOR ON THE GOLF COURSE

Sunday was an 18-round fight Clark would have never signed up for, but it was the only one in which he could actually convey an impactful message.

Just like Clark's outbursts at last year's PGA Championship and U.S. Open resulted in consequences for his actions, the same can be said for his resume. As a former Ryder Cup player who won the U.S. Open in 2023 and has a pair of signature event victories on the PGA Tour, Clark wasn't going to suddenly start getting back into any good graces of fans by getting into the mix on some minor stage.

No, Clark was going to have to run through a fire to see what was on the other side, and what has to be there after going wire-to-wire at Shinnecock Hills for his second major title is respect.

You can not like Wyndham Clark; you can fault him for his actions and how he handled himself in the immediate aftermath. You can choose not to believe anything he says is sincere, and that his two mistakes at previous majors simply reflect who he is.

That would be a bit harsh and even more hypocritical as one human to another, but that's all fine — you have the right as a sports fan to pick your side. It doesn't mean you can't also tip your cap to what Clark accomplished at one of the game's most iconic venues with the entire world seemingly rooting for his demise.

As cliché as it sounds, maybe Clark successfully playing the role he forced himself into is a sign of him maturing as a person. Only time and future actions will tell, and the golf world will undoubtedly be tuning into one of the sport's true characters.

The American Culture Quiz is a weekly test of our unique national traits, trends, history and people — including current events and the sights and sounds of the United States.

This week's quiz highlights sunscreen shakeups, coastal curiosity — and much more.

Can you get all 8 questions right?

Give it a try and see how you do!

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A fugitive accused of running a $1.2 billion Medicare fraud conspiracy has been captured overseas and returned to the United States, becoming the second suspect taken into custody from the FBI's new "Most Wanted Fraudsters" list.

Federal officials said Herbert Leon Kimble, 60, was arrested in the Philippines after allegedly evading authorities for nearly two years.

Prosecutors said Kimble operated a healthcare fraud scheme that generated more than $1.2 billion in Medicare charges and affected thousands of beneficiaries, many of them elderly. Authorities said the operation used call centers to steer patients toward medically unnecessary orthopedic braces.

Kimble pleaded guilty in 2019 to multiple federal offenses, including conspiracy to defraud the United States, healthcare fraud, wire fraud, mail fraud, making false claims and offering kickbacks and bribes.

FBI LAUNCHES 'MOST WANTED FRAUDSTERS' LIST AS DOJ CHARGES OHIO DEFENDANTS IN $30M MEDICAID SCHEME FOR KIDS

Authorities said he failed to appear for his sentencing hearing in August 2024, prompting a federal arrest warrant and an international manhunt.

The capture came just weeks after the Justice Department unveiled its new "Most Wanted Fraudsters" list, which is intended to publicly identify individuals charged in major fraud cases.

Last week, federal officials announced the apprehension of Said Abdullahi Ereg, 47, who was wanted on charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud and money laundering. He was the first person on the list to be taken into custody.

THE WAR ON FRAUD IS HERE, AND VICE PRESIDENT VANCE IS LEADING IT FROM THE FRONT

"In just over two weeks, this is the second Most Wanted Fraudster arrested on the FBI’s list led by Vice President Vance and the White House Task Force to Eliminate Fraud," FBI Director Kash Patel posted on X.

"Herbert Leon Kimbel was apprehended in the Philippines and is now back in the United States, on the run since 2024 after he allegedly orchestrated a $1.2 billion healthcare fraud conspiracy that targeted the Medicare system — particularly elderly victims — from 2014-2019," Patel continued.

Patel said the FBI remains committed to carrying out President Donald Trump's directive to crack down on fraud and protect taxpayer dollars.

DEPUTY AG TODD BLANCHE SHEDS LIGHT ON NEW DOJ FRAUD DIVISION TO ADDRESS 'INSANE' PROBLEM

The arrest comes months after the Justice Department announced the creation of a National Fraud Enforcement Division to support Trump's Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, which is led by Vice President J.D. Vance.

Vance reacted to the arrest on X, crediting the creation of the Most Wanted Fraudsters list with helping investigators track down Kimble.

"Our message is simple," Vance wrote. "If you defraud the American people, we will find you and we will bring you to justice."

VANCE ANTI-FRAUD TASK FORCE SUSPENDS 221 CALIFORNIA HOSPICE AND HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS SO FAR

"Kimble preyed on the elderly for years, costing taxpayers over a billion dollars," he continued. "The FBI catching Kimble is a direct result of the task force’s partnership with the FBI to create the Most Wanted Fraudsters list."

Vance said authorities had been unable to capture Kimble for months, but that the Philippine government helped locate him after the Justice Department published its list.

"Catching fraudsters is a priority of this Administration, and thanks to our task force’s hard work, one of the country’s most wanted fraudsters will now have to answer for his crimes," Vance added.

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche also reacted to the arrest, saying that "fleeing the United States does not mean you can flee justice."

"Instead of facing accountability for his $1.2 billion Medicare fraud crimes in the United States, Kimble fled to the Philippines hoping to escape justice," Blanche wrote on X. "That plan failed. Under President Trump’s leadership, this FBI has now apprehended two fraudsters from its recently unveiled Most Wanted Fraudster list in just two weeks, with more to come."

EXCLUSIVE: As Democrats across the country criticize education programs in red states, Arkansas Republican Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders is touting a major achievement in her state she hopes will serve as an education blueprint for all states, regardless of politics, nationwide.

"The thing we're most excited about is the fact that so many Arkansas students are doing better now than they would have been doing pre-LEARNS legislation," Sanders told Fox News Digital on the day her office announced a "major breakthrough" on education following implementation of a 2023 Republican backed statewide education overhaul, known as the LEARNS Act.

The law also raised the minimum teacher salary from $36,000 to $50,000, created performance-based teacher bonuses, boosted literacy support, funded school safety initiatives, and banned critical race theory and classroom teachings related to critical race theory, gender identity, sexual orientation, and sexually explicit materials.

Arkansas public school students are seeing sharp gains on a new statewide exam, with proficiency rates rising more than 7%  across all grades and subjects in just three years under the state’s conservative education reforms. Since 2024, student proficiency has increased by more than 7% and by more than 5% since 2025, according to the governor’s office.

MISSISSIPPI'S SCHOOL MIRACLE SHAMES FAILING CHICAGO LEADERS ON EDUCATION

"We want our kids to do well," Sanders said. "We love the fact that kids in Arkansas are learning, that they're moving up. The growth and achievement that we're seeing from our kids is exactly what we want to happen."

In 2026, 42.2% of students met proficiency standards, up from 36.9% in 2025. Mathematics proficiency increased from 36.4% in 2024 to 44.2% in 2026, science proficiency rose from 35.6% to 44.0%, and English language arts proficiency climbed from 33.8% to 39.5%.

Students performing at the lowest levels also fell across all subjects, dropping from an average of 27.3% in 2025 to 23.1% in 2026. Reading performance among third-graders improved as well, with proficiency rising from 36% in 2024 to 43% in 2026.

Students in kindergarten through second grade, the first to learn under the state's education reforms, exceeded 50% proficiency in nearly every subject and grade level, while maintaining upward momentum.

Sanders said transformational reform is driven by better teaching and a unified focus on student needs, saying "a comprehensive aligned approach" makes a difference.

"Not any one thing, but it's the collective process of really transforming the way that we approach education," Sanders said. "Realizing that every single kid can learn when given the right environment, when given the right tools, and letting failure not be an option."

TEXAS’ LARGEST SCHOOL DISTRICT SEES TEST SCORES SOAR AFTER STATE TAKEOVER DESPITE RACISM CLAIMS

Democrats in recent years, including former Vice President Kamala Harris and prominent teachers' union officials, have targeted red-state education policies, but Sanders told Fox News Digital she hopes the education program sends a message across the country.

"I'm hopeful absolutely that red states will use what we're doing here as a blueprint, but I also hope that blue states will look at the success that you're seeing in places like Arkansas, Mississippi and others and try to follow suit because we want all kids to do well," Sanders said.

"Seeing kids achieve and do better and be successful, that's not a red state or blue state issue. That's something everybody should care about."

WHY AMERICA’S ONLY SCHOOL CHOICE SUPER PAC IS PUTTING SOME REPUBLICANS IN THE HOT SEAT

Sanders said the results are "showing what works," adding there is no need to "reinvent the wheel."

"We know that raising the bar, providing those resources and support for our students, for our teachers, for our superintendents makes a difference," Sanders said. "We've got a recipe here that's working and absolutely hope it not only changes the conversation but frankly changes the system, changes the culture and education."

"The LEARNS Act was a bold, innovative, and comprehensive approach to improve education," Jacob Oliva, secretary of the Arkansas Department of Education, said in a press release. "It was built on research, urgency, and the desperate need for change. These scores prove that listening to teachers, administrators, and parents wasn’t just valuable but also essential. The plan is working. Arkansas students are reading, learning, and benefitting."

FRISCO, Texas – Austin Metcalf's father, Jeff Metcalf, says he "100%" stands by the judge's decision in the Karmelo Anthony murder trial to keep cameras out of the courtroom.

Judge John Roach of the 296th District Court went on the record previously to say the decision was essentially imperative to keep the trial fair.

In a sit-down interview with Fox News Digital, Jeff Metcalf said, "You have minors that had to testify. It's hard enough for them because they've witnessed a trauma. They will have permanent memories. I mean they're all in counseling. It was hard enough to watch them get up on the stand and have to testify and be asked the tough questions."

Metcalf's son was fatally stabbed in the chest by Anthony at a high school track meet in April 2025. Anthony was convicted of murder and sentenced to 35 years in prison.

WATCH: Austin Metcalf’s father remembers his son’s childhood

Metcalf, who was under a gag order imposed by the judge throughout the trial, said he wants to speak face-to-face with the Anthony family. He said he has yet to hear from the parents of the man who killed his son.

JUDGE PRESIDING IN CASE OF SLAIN TEXAS TEEN AUSTIN METCALF TARGETED IN ALLEGED DOXXING HOAX; FBI INVESTIGATING

"If they would have taken accountability and showed remorse, I truthfully believe, I don't think he would have got that many years that he received," he said about the Anthony family.

WATCH: Austin Metcalf's father says the Anthony family has yet to speak to him

Fox News Digital has reached out to the Anthony family for comment.

Anthony has since filed a notice of appeal to challenge his conviction.

AUSTIN METCALF'S DAD EXPRESSES EMPATHY FOR KARMELO ANTHONY AS KILLER'S PARENTS SAY 'THEY DID A NUMBER ON US'

Metcalf has had death threats sent to him and his family, he said. Frisco Police are investigating.

In a message to people threatening his family and the Anthony family, Metcalf said, "You're soulless, you don't have compassion or empathy, and I mean, what are you, a sociopath?"

He went on to say, "I wish both sides would quit. It's not needed. Both these boys, especially mine, mine's never coming back."

AUSTIN METCALF FAMILY FACING THREATS, FINANCIAL STRAIN AS KARMELO ANTHONY FUNDRAISING DRAWS SCRUTINY

As for Anthony and his family specifically, Metcalf said, "There's consequences for actions and he got the consequences. But there's no need to dogpile on this other family just because he got convicted."

While daily headlines are published about the verdict and trial, Metcalf's home has become a shrine of all things Austin.

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Fox News Digital got an up-close look at a plethora of photos and mementos throughout Metcalf's home. The feeling inside the house is quiet and somber.

SLAIN TEXAS TEEN AUSTIN METCALF’S HOME SWATTED HOURS AFTER TENSE PRESS CONFERENCE SHOWDOWN

In many of those photos, Austin's twin brother, Hunter, is also seen.

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Metcalf said his twin boys were so close they chose to share a bedroom despite plenty of other rooms in his home. They were "attached at the hip," he said.

"Hunter is probably the strongest individual I've ever seen in my life. To carry what he has to carry, to do what he did from the death of his brother to this day has shown absolute strength that I don't believe I myself even carry. I couldn't be more proud of him," he said.

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Austin was seen as the "big brother" even though the two are twins; Austin was born minutes earlier than Hunter.

"Both of them would go back to the [Staley Middle School] and talk to the incoming freshmen about what football is and what it means to play at Memorial and what it's going to take," Metcalf said.

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Hunter completed his senior year and recently graduated without his beloved brother by his side. He accepted his brother's posthumous diploma, Metcalf said.

The twin boys would have celebrated their 19th birthday together this July.

In the fall, Hunter will begin his first year of college.

Speaking about Austin and Hunter, Metcalf said "I couldn't ask for a better son, or sons."

Builders reveal a critical labor shortage in their field is fueling the housing affordability crisis in America.

America needs more homes, but the industry doesn't have nearly enough workers to build them. With too few skilled laborers to meet the growing demand, construction is taking longer, costs are rising and, as a result, the much-needed housing supply in the U.S. remains constrained.

Experts in the industry point to an aging workforce, a lack of younger Americans entering the skilled trades and immigration policies that they say have failed to keep pace with labor needs.

"Labor is one of the largest and most expensive inputs when it comes to home production and land development," Jim Tobin, president and CEO of the National Association of Home Builders, told Fox News Digital.

THE SURPRISING HOUSING STRATEGY FUELING GROWTH ACROSS AMERICA'S FASTEST-GROWING RED STATES

He said that every month, the construction industry is short by approximately 250,000 workers.

"It's been as high as 400,000 jobs short when we were really cooking along a few years ago," Tobin said, adding that the labor gap "is a persistent shortage."

And the industry's labor needs are only expected to grow in coming years.

A recent Home Builders Institute and National Association of Home Builders report estimates builders will need roughly 723,000 new workers annually to keep pace with demand and help close the nation's 1.5 million-home housing gap.

ONE TYPE OF PROPERTY IS QUIETLY SAVING AMERICANS THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS

The shortage is already affecting how quickly homes can be built. According to Home Builders Institute President and CEO Ed Brady, labor constraints are extending construction timelines and driving up costs.

"This shortage adds nearly two extra months to building timelines, inflating costs and delaying delivery," Brady told Fox News Digital.

Builders say replenishing the skilled trades pipeline is only part of the solution.

While builders continue to invest in workforce development programs and encourage more young Americans to enter the skilled trades, Tobin argued for immigration reform measures that he says will benefit the industry.

FLORIDA AND TEXAS ARE BATTLING FOR NEW RESIDENTS. DESANTIS THINKS HE FOUND AN ADVANTAGE

"It's not only about training more people to come into the industry as our current generation ages out of the skilled trades, but it's also the immigration problem that we have in this country," he said.

Tobin said many construction jobs do not require a four-year college degree and can provide stable, middle-class careers, but the home construction industry has struggled for years to attract enough workers to replace retiring tradespeople.

At the same time, builders have become increasingly reliant on immigrant labor. According to the National Association of Home Builders, immigrants account for roughly one-third of the homebuilding contractor workforce.

Tobin called on lawmakers to modernize the nation's immigration system, including creating legal pathways for workers already in the country and expanding visa opportunities for those seeking construction jobs.

"We've got to find a way to modernize our immigration laws," Tobin said. "We've got to create a visa system for people who want to work legally in this country, in the construction industry."

Without additional workers entering the labor force, Tobin said, builders will continue to face challenges meeting housing demand and bringing more homes to market.

In an exclusive interview with the Ruthless Podcast, Medal of Honor recipient Dakota Meyer discussed the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) event at the White House, his personal story of heroism, and blasted the controversial design of a proposed memorial for the Global War on Terrorism.

"If I could sum up the entire night, it was about service," Meyer told the Fellas in an interview released Tuesday morning. "And it was every foundation of this country and what it was founded on. Every fighter in there gave thanks to all the men and women who served. You just saw uniforms everywhere, everybody with American flags," Meyer said of the event.

As a part of the UFC Freedom 250 Heavyweight on Sunday evening, Meyer walked out with fighter Justin Gaethje. The emotional moment of patriotism preceded a technical knockout win for Gaethje over Ilia Topuria for an undisputed lightweight title. The fight, an underdog win for the American Gaethje against a European Topuria, was the main event on the patriotic night.

UFC RING ANNOUNCER BRUCE BUFFER EXPECTS WHITE HOUSE FIGHTS TO BE 'A SPECTACLE' AS EVENT APPROACHES

Sargent Meyer served in the Marines from 2006 to 2010. He received the Medal of Honor for entering an area under enemy fire to rescue wounded soldiers and the bodies of fallen service members. His efforts saved 36 lives, including 13 Americans.

"Here's the reason why I think that story is so important," podcast co-host John Ashbrook said of Meyer’s story. "Because people listen to the show, some of them served, but a lot of them read about it on the news, or they hear a politician say, 'Oh, freedom isn't free,’ or some other like speech that sounds good, and it is good. But, until you hear those words, you don't really understand the sacrifice, and even hearing those words, you don't understand the sacrifices unless you were actually there and doing it."

AS AN ARMY WIDOW, I WILL NEVER FORGET HOW ORDINARY AMERICANS HONORED MY HUSBAND

In the interview, Meyer criticized the design of the Global War on Terrorism Memorial. The circular structure with grass on top is planned to appear on the National Mall in Washington, DC, close to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and the proposed spot of the Desert Storm and Desert Shield.

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"All service is the same, but not all sacrifice is the same," Meyer said. "And that looks like some shit that Bernie Sanders would have come up with."

Senators Jim Banks (R-Ind.) and Mike Lee (R-Utah) criticized the memorial. Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R-Wis.) has said he’s formed a bipartisan and bicameral coalition to prevent the design.

"That was not designed by a veteran," Meyer said. "And if it was designed by a veteran, it was not designed by a veteran, whoever had to sacrifice in the way of being shot at. And I'm not trying to degrade anybody who wasn't shot at, but what I am saying is that. If you set on a fob. And we appreciate everybody's job, but this should represent a sacrifice."