Luke Clanton: welcome to the club of extraordinary things

This 2024, amateur golfers have had a significant presence on the PGA Tour. In January, Nick Dunlap ended a wait of over 30 years by becoming the first amateur player to win an event on the main American circuit. By conquering the American Express, he followed in the footsteps of Phil Mickelson, who had achieved a title in 1991 before turning professional.

That triumph granted Dunlap, a second-year university student, full playing rights in all open field tournaments of the PGA Tour for the next two seasons. And although it was initially unclear whether he would accept the challenge by leaving his studies behind, he ultimately took the step, turning professional and beginning a successful career on the tour (26 tournaments played, 15 cuts made, and two victories).

A few months later, Neal Shipley confirmed that the batch of young players on their way to the elite is of an extraordinary level. He was the best amateur at the Masters Tournament and repeated a couple of months later at the US Open. A brilliant double performance that, however, is starting to be overshadowed by another gem of American golf, Luke Clanton, a player destined to write successful pages on the PGA Tour… as soon as he secures a card that he is already close to obtaining. For now, he is doing things that are not common.

Amateur Luke Clanton keeps it rolling for birdie at No. 14.

He's 1 back @TheRSMClassic. pic.twitter.com/z53M6MRL88

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) November 24, 2024

This week, Clanton, a student at Florida State, was close to emulating Dunlap by winning the RSM Classic. Not since 1945 have two or more amateur golfers won PGA Tour tournaments in the same season (that year, three players achieved it). And the 21-year-old from Hialeah came close with a final round of 66 strokes that, if not for Maverick McNealy‘s final birdie to win, would have put him in a four-way playoff.

His parents, Rhonda and David Clanton, his best friend, Sam Kodak, acting as caddie, his coach, Jeff Leishman, and his agent, Ben Walter, were at Sea Island Golf Club in Georgia experiencing a moment that could have been historic for Luke. And although he will have to keep waiting, the second place achieved in the tournament that closed the 2025 season on the PGA Tour allows him to get closer to an almost imminent promotion to the circuit through the PGA Tour University Accelerated program.

The PGA Tour University rewards the best university golfer of the year among those in their final year of academic training with a PGA Tour card. But the Accelerated program allows amateur players who are not yet finishing their studies to gain full playing rights on the circuit if they manage to accumulate a series of points distributed across different events.

A hole-out eagle from the bunker 💪

Amateur Luke Clanton is off to a hot start @ProcoreChamp. pic.twitter.com/Ks2jolXwtD

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) September 12, 2024

In Clanton‘s case, most of the 17 points he has accumulated have come thanks to invitations or exemptions he has received to play on the PGA Tour. Since last June, he has participated in eight events, including the US Open where he made the cut, surpassing the Friday cut in seven occasions and achieving four top-10 finishes, including two tied second places.

Because this past weekend’s RSM was not the first tournament where the young Floridian came close to victory on the American tour. He was already close to winning the John Deere Classic last July when he shared the runner-up position with Michael Thorbjornsen, only surpassed by Davis Thompson. However, making a cut on the PGA Tour grants one point and finishing in the top 10 another, so despite not receiving monetary prizes, the return achieved by Clanton is enormous.

Only in PGA Tour tournaments, the young Florida State player has accumulated 11 points. If we add his position as Number One in the WAGR (World Amateur Golf Ranking) and his participation in the Arnold Palmer Cup team, he reaches 17. And as soon as he reaches 20, he will be entitled to a PGA Tour card, something another golfer, Gordon Sargent, has already achieved through this accelerated program, although in his case he has postponed his jump to the circuit until May, when he finishes playing the NCAA Championship.

A dart for a round of 62 🎯

20-year-old amateur Luke Clanton closes out his career-low third round in style @WyndhamChamp. pic.twitter.com/RP06FwQo29

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) August 11, 2024

Luke Clanton had the opportunity in this RSM Classic to share a round with Ludvig Aberg, another young star of the PGA Tour competing for the first time since the FedEx Cup playoffs after overcoming an injury and who was also defending his title. For the young amateur, it was an incredible experience to see the Swedish player up close (“I knew he was a good guy, but playing with him and seeing what he has done in recent years is quite inspiring,” he said). But moreover, he was able to leave his mark and show Aberg what he is capable of.

“I knew Luke, we spent some time in Tallahassee when I lived there, so I’ve seen him play in practice rounds,” said Aberg after the RSM Classic. “I hadn’t had the opportunity to play with him before, it was the first time, but it’s obvious that he’s the Number One amateur in the world for a reason and you quickly realise he has a great variety of shots and different flights in his bag that he can use when he needs to, it’s impressive,” he concluded.

Luke will not have to decide for the moment whether to continue his studies and put professionalism on hold or leave his university stage behind and make the leap to the PGA Tour. But with only three more points needed to reach the 20 required to achieve it, it doesn’t seem like it will take long for him to have to make a decision. The top three amateurs of the moment are beginning to chart their path towards the circuit.

How are points accumulated for the PGA Tour University Accelerated?

They are earned both in tournaments, amateur and professional, as well as through the world amateur ranking or the various awards that can be achieved: