Twenty-one-year-old Luke Clanton should attend Florida State, however he has carried himself like a seasoned skilled in each occasion he has performed in.
However now, because of an incredible displaying at this week’s Cognizant Traditional, Clanton can name himself a PGA Tour member.
By means of the PGA Tour College’s Accelerated Program, Clanton wanted to make the minimize this week to earn a PGA Tour card.
A participant should attain 20 factors by this system’s standards to earn a card. Gamers obtain one level for making a PGA Tour minimize. Clanton arrived at PGA Nationwide with 19 factors, all of which he has amassed throughout the final 9 months.
Because of a Friday 66, Clanton simply made the minimize and is now eligible to compete on the tour after the NCAA season ends in Might. He turns into the second participant to attain this by this system, following Vanderbilt’s Gordon Sargent. Clanton additionally has the choice to return to Florida State for his senior season, a alternative that Sargent made final 12 months.
Within the meantime, Clanton sits at 9-under on the halfway level of the championship. He’s additionally within the top-10 going into the weekend at PGA Nationwide.
After draining his birdie putt on the 18th gap, Clanton couldn’t assist however let the feelings circulate. He earned his technique to the tour at his hometown occasion, roughly an hour from the place he grew up.
“He’s an important participant. He hits it a mile. He’s received an important quick recreation. He’s actual fiery,” mentioned fellow Seminole Daniel Berger.
“He’s received a vivid future. Simply received to maintain doing what he’s doing.”
It’s a wholly completely different feeling from what he felt three weeks in the past on the WM Phoenix Open. Like this week, Clanton acquired a sponsor’s exemption from the Thunderbirds to try to earn a PGA Tour card at TPC Scottsdale. He wanted to make the minimize to take action, however fell one shot quick — his birdie attempt on the 18th gap simply missed.
After, Clanton mentioned that he knew his time would come. He remained assured and steadfast in himself, a testomony to his id and religion.
That motif re-surfaced on Wednesday, when he addressed the media forward of the Cognizant Traditional.
“My time will come, and we don’t know if it’s this week or subsequent week or each time it is going to be. I’m going to belief in Lord and know that it’s golf; it’s going to go my means or not go my means,” Clanton mentioned.
“I might love for it to be this week with all of the family and friends arising, however I’m simply going to deal with one shot at a time.”
That point is now, and Clanton is formally a PGA Tour member.
“I by no means actually need to speak about it and say it that means, however now that I’m achieved, it’s positively so much off the shoulders for certain,” Clanton mentioned after his spherical on Friday.
“I’m positively excited to see what the boys have texted me and hang around with them after I get again there. We nonetheless have two extra days on this occasion and we’re going to be locked in and attempt to exit and win this factor.”
He positively has the sport to win. If he does, he would immediately grow to be eligible to compete on the PGA Tour and will start at subsequent week’s Arnold Palmer Invitational. Nevertheless, as Clanton has demonstrated for weeks, nobody ought to get forward of themselves. Endurance, persistence, and religion all the time win, the attributes that paved the best way for Clanton to the PGA Tour.
Jack Milko is a golf employees author for SB Nation’s Enjoying By means of. Observe him on X @jack_milko.