World No.1 Amateur Luke Clanton Narrowly Misses Out On PGA Tour Card At WM Phoenix Open
The Florida State junior needed a birdie at the 18th on Friday to guarantee his card, but it wasn't to be


The WM Phoenix Open claimed several high-profile victims after the first two rounds, with a handful of big names failing to make it to the weekend at TPC Scottsdale.
However, while most will be able to shrug off the disappointment before preparing for the next appearance in their schedules, for one unlucky player, it will hurt that bit more as competitors tee it up in the third and fourth rounds.
There was much riding on making the weekend for World No.1 amateur Luke Clanton. That’s because the Florida State University junior, who was appearing on a sponsor’s exemption, needed to reach the weekend to guarantee a life-changing PGA Tour card. It wasn’t to be, though, as he agnozingly missed out by one shot.
Even more galling for the 21-year-old was that he had given himself a brilliant chance to get over the line on the last hole.
Clanton had a mountain to climb after his 74 in the first round, but he rallied superbly on Friday, particularly on the back nine with four birdies. That set him up for a date with destiny on the 18th.
Luke Clanton is a Florida State University junior
After finding the green in two, Clanton faced an 18-foot birdie putt to make the weekend and secure his PGA Tour card. However, his putt failed to break right and instead rolled past the hole. Clanton’s reaction said it all, as he placed his hands over his face in disappointment. He then finished for par to card a 67 for the round and one-under for the tournament – just a shot short of making the cut.
Delayed not denied. Amateur Luke Clanton needed a birdie to potentially make the cut and earn a final@PGATOURU Accelerated point, the @FSUGolf junior came up just short on No. 18. pic.twitter.com/K1xu0gSVVmFebruary 8, 2025
Clanton was in the running for a PGA Tour card thanks to the PGA Tour University Accelerated program, which awards points based on players’ accomplishments in college, amateur and professional tournaments.
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Clanton needed just one more point to reach the threshold of 20, having earned his 19th earlier in the week when he made it to 26 weeks at the top of the the World Amateur Golf Ranking. Another point at the WM Phoenix Open would have handed him a PGA Tour card after the spring season.
The good news is that it likely won’t be long until Clanton, who finished T2 in November's RSM Classic, has another chance to reach the magic number, with more sponsor’s exemptions to tournaments likely coming has way in the near future.
Luke Clanton finished T2 in November's RSM Classic
While he’ll have to wait for his chance, Clanton was philosophical about his situation following his second round, saying: “It’s just not my time, man,” before adding: “We thought about the cut from 14 on basically. But it's not going to change the way I roll it. It's not going to change the way I read it.
“It was a great day today. I had a blast. I put up a great fight. I had to make five birdies in my last eight holes and put four up and had a great chance on 18. It's tough. It's hard to take. But again, I'm going to walk in my faith and keep understanding that it's not my time.”
Mike has over 25 years of experience in journalism, including writing on a range of sports throughout that time, such as golf, football and cricket. Now a freelance staff writer for Golf Monthly, he is dedicated to covering the game's most newsworthy stories.
He has written hundreds of articles on the game, from features offering insights into how members of the public can play some of the world's most revered courses, to breaking news stories affecting everything from the PGA Tour and LIV Golf to developmental Tours and the amateur game.
Mike grew up in East Yorkshire and began his career in journalism in 1997. He then moved to London in 2003 as his career flourished, and nowadays resides in New Brunswick, Canada, where he and his wife raise their young family less than a mile from his local course.
Kevin Cook’s acclaimed 2007 biography, Tommy’s Honour, about golf’s founding father and son, remains one of his all-time favourite sports books.
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