Luke Clanton performed phenomenally, ending tied for tenth ultimately week’s Rocket Mortgage Basic in Detroit. The Florida State golfer is again on the PGA Tour for the second consecutive occasion as he’s within the area for the John Deere Basic.
Heading into the ultimate day of play, Clanton sat two strokes off the lead. Many felt he may be a part of Nick Dunlap and turn out to be the second newbie golfer in six months to win a PGA Tour occasion. As an alternative, he shot an even-par 72 on Sunday.
Regardless of that degree of success in opposition to PGA Tour gamers, the rising junior just isn’t fearful about skilled golf simply but.
“I wish to win a nationwide championship with the crew,” Clanton mentioned forward of the John Deere Basic.
“That’s been my primary objective in faculty, and we got here fairly shut this yr. All of us again house are very pushed this yr to do it. Once more, I feel no matter occurs occurs. I’m nonetheless 20 years outdated. I’m nonetheless studying the ropes as a lot as I can. I’m going to do what I do.”
Clanton completed because the second-lowest newbie to Neal Shipley at Pinehurst within the U.S. Open and stored the momentum getting into Detroit with a 14-under complete rating. His driver was his finest membership, as he was No. 2 in strokes gained off the tee on the Rocket Mortgage Basic.
Clanton is a rising junior at Florida State College and helped the Seminoles get to the nationwide title match in opposition to Auburn. He fell 2 & 1 in his last match to J.M. Butler.
Nevertheless, the 20-year-old had one of the vital spectacular spring runs. He gained three consecutive occasions, was runner-up within the NCAA Particular person event, recorded 10 high 1s in 14 begins, and completed with the bottom single-season common in FSU historical past at 69.33.
He likes to maintain it easy on the golf course. No matter what he has gained in his younger profession, it’s all about golf.
“I’m out right here to play the most effective I can. Easy as that,” he mentioned. “If I put 4 days collectively and it will get me extra accelerated factors, superior. Primary objective is to play pretty much as good as I can.”
Though he may have gained over six figures final week, the teen is decided to complete faculty. Clanton is aware of that skilled golf can be there when he accomplishes the objectives he set for himself in faculty.
“I might say I’m most likely fairly near the place I needed to be,” Clanton mentioned. “I might say I feel I had fairly large objectives rising up, a number of expectations for what I needed to do. There may be one factor I would like. I feel that’s fairly apparent in fact. I feel we’re simply going to see what occurs within the subsequent couple of weeks.”
That objective just isn’t a PGA Tour victory however a person and crew nationwide championship with Florida State.
For the primary two rounds of the John Deere Basic, Clanton is paired with Pierceson Coody and Joe Highsmith. They tee off at 2:44 p.m. ET on Thursday and at 9:24 a.m. ET on Friday.
The teen’s subsequent event would be the ISCO Championship in Nicholasville, Kentucky, from July 11 to 14. Clanton acquired a sponsor’s exemption. It’s the reverse area occasion to the Genesis Scottish Open. He may also play within the 3M Open on an exemption on the finish of July.
Savannah Leigh Richardson is a golf employees author for SB Nation’s Taking part in By means of. For extra golf protection, observe us @_PlayingThrough on all main social platforms. You may also observe her on Twitter @SportsGirlSL and Instagram @savannah_leigh_sports.
