Luke Clanton got here into this week with excessive expectations.
“I believe I form of reached that expectation for positive,” Clanton stated Sunday night after tying for second on the John Deere Traditional, his second straight top-10 end on the PGA Tour following final week’s T-10 on the Rocket Mortgage Traditional.
OK, so he smashed that expectation.
Clanton fired an 8-under 63, his second sub-65 spherical of the event, to tie Michael Thorbjornsen and C.T. Pan at 24 below, 4 pictures again of Davis Thompson. Whereas Clanton fell in need of qualifying for The Open, the Florida State rising junior did change into the primary newbie since Billy Joe Patton in 1958 to notch top-10s in back-to-back Tour begins; Patton, nevertheless, notched T-8 showings on the 1957 U.S. Open and 1958 Masters.
Not that he realized any of that.
“I had no clue,” Clanton stated when instructed the Deere was a part of the Open qualifying collection.
And on matching Patton’s feat: “I didn’t even know that both. I promise you, man, I’m fairly easy in terms of all this. That’s superior to even notice that. Making slightly bit extra historical past is fairly candy little doubt. Couple extra occasions arising so hopefully we are able to win one.”
Clanton will compete in subsequent week’s ISCO Championship in Kentucky, his third PGA Tour begin in as many weeks. He’s enjoying that on a sponsor exemption, too, as amateurs aren’t eligible for the Tour’s top-10 exemption. Then he’ll head residence to Hialeah, Florida, for a much-needed break earlier than his fourth Tour begin of the summer time, on the 3M Open in Minnesota.
Clanton, who reiterated that he’s nonetheless planning on returning to Florida State for his junior yr, certainly believes now that he can comply with in Nick Dunlap’s footsteps; Dunlap, who was in Clanton’s recruiting class, gained the American Specific again in January to change into the primary newbie in 33 years to win a Tour occasion.
“It simply form of proves once more to me I do know I can win out right here,” Clanton stated. “I don’t wish to sound cocky or something, however I needed to show to myself I can do it. After final week, being up there and in rivalry and this week being in second place … it simply form of reveals me if I hold grinding and doing my factor, I’ll be all proper.”
