Luke Clanton came agonisingly close to winning the low amateur honors at the 2024 US Open where he had a makeable putt to tie his playing partner Neal Shipley. He three-putted and finished two back of his fellow amateur but he has bounced back in impressive style.
The Florida State junior teed it up at the Rocket Mortgage Classic thanks to a sponsor's exemption and he went on to record a T10 finish in his first ever regular PGA Tour event. He also made it into the John Deere Classic field and posted a 24-under-par total thanks to rounds of 63-67-67-63 to finish T2nd.
It's the first time an amateur has recorded back-to-back top-10s on the PGA Tour since Billy Joe Patton in 1958.
"That's awesome to even realize that. Making a little bit more history is pretty sweet no doubt. Couple more events coming up so hopefully we can win one," he said.
The 20-year-old star has had a stretch of weeks he might have only previously dreamed of, yet he's missed out on $900,000 in prize money due to his amateur status and enters this week's ISCO Championship as the tournament favorite.
If he were to win, he might consider turning professional - just like what Nick Dunlap did after winning the American Express Championship earlier this year.
Clanton currently sits 212th in the Official World Golf Ranking and 3rd in the World Amateur Golf Ranking
His T2 at TPC Deere Run meant he was competing for one of the two Open Championship spots up for grabs, but due to his world ranking the second place went to CT Pan.
"It was good for sure. I mean, we came into the week with pretty high expectations I guess you could say after last week," Clanton said.
"I think I kind of reached that expectation for sure. Of course you want to win. But again, to do what I did out there today was awesome. It's just a blessing to be here, man. It's unreal to make a birdie on the last hole and do all that.
"I mean, it just kind of proves again to me I know I can win out here. I think I don't want to sound cocky or anything, but I wanted to prove to myself I can do it. After last week, being up there and in contention and this week being hopefully in second place, whatever it is, it just kind of shows me if I keep grinding and doing my thing I'll be all right."
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