Luke Clanton performed phenomenally, ending tied for tenth finally week’s Rocket Mortgage Traditional 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 Traditional.
Heading into the ultimate day of play, Clanton sat two strokes off the lead. Many felt he might be part of Nick Dunlap and turn out to be the second beginner 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 isn’t nervous about skilled golf simply but.
“I wish to win a nationwide championship with the group,” Clanton stated forward of the John Deere Traditional.
“That’s been my primary objective in school, and we got here fairly shut this 12 months. All of us again residence are very pushed this 12 months to do it. Once more, I believe 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 I’m nonetheless 20 years outdated.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 beginner to Neal Shipley at Pinehurst within the U.S. Open and stored the momentum moving into Detroit with a 14-under complete rating. His driver was his greatest membership, as he was No. 2 in strokes gained off the tee on the Rocket Mortgage Traditional.
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 closing match to J.M. Butler.
Nonetheless, the 20-year-old had one of the vital spectacular spring runs. He received three consecutive occasions, was runner-up within the NCAA Particular person match, 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 received in his younger profession, it’s all about golf.
“I’m out right here to play one of the best I can. Easy as that,” he stated. “If I put 4 days collectively and it will get me extra accelerated factors, superior. Primary objective is to play nearly as good as I can.”
Regardless that he might have received over six figures final week, the teen is set to complete faculty. Clanton is aware of that skilled golf can be there when he accomplishes the targets he set for himself in school.
“I’d say I’m most likely fairly near the place I needed to be,” Clanton stated. “I’d say I believe I had fairly huge targets rising up, numerous expectations for what I needed to do. There may be one factor I need. I believe that’s fairly apparent in fact. I believe we’re simply going to see what occurs within the subsequent couple of weeks.”
That objective isn’t a PGA Tour victory however a person and group nationwide championship with Florida State.
For the primary two rounds of the John Deere Traditional, 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 match 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 can even play within the 3M Open on an exemption on the finish of July.
Savannah Leigh Richardson is a golf workers author for SB Nation’s Taking part in By means of. For extra golf protection, comply with us @_PlayingThrough on all main social platforms. You may as well comply with her on Twitter @SportsGirlSL and Instagram @savannah_leigh_sports.
