Journeys
How Luke Clanton went from juggling college homework to contending in PGA Tour events
Eakin Howard
EDITOR'S NOTE: Amateur Luke Clanton made his eighth start in a PGA Tour event in 2024 at the RSM Classic. During the year, the 21-year-old junior at Florida State missed the cut just once and had four top-10 finishes, including a T-2 performances at the John Deere Classic and the RSM. Clanton has earned 17 points in the PGA Tour Accelerated program, needing three more to earn an automatic PGA Tour card.
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In January 2024, I lost the lead in the final round of the Jones Cup, a top amateur event. I told my swing coach Jeff Leishman, “I absolutely can’t stand this. I can’t stand losing.” He said, “This is not going to be a concern in six months.” He was right. By July, my life had completely changed. If you told me then that I’d be juggling college homework with contending in PGA Tour events, I would have said you’re crazy.
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My dad wasn’t an avid golfer, but he took my two older sisters to a local range. I was 4 years old and didn’t know what golf was, but I knew I’d get to be with my dad, so I said I’d go. I played my first tournament when I was 7. I was the only kid in my age group, but I still proudly carried that trophy home after shooting 44.
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Dad didn’t know a lot about golf, but he read magazines to learn the technique. The Country Club of Miami, a public course we played, had artificial practice greens, 50-80 yards away. We’d be out there for hours with a flashlight, so I could see the ball in the dark. Those evenings with my dad are a huge reason why I love the game.
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We were never members of a course. My mom is a Delta flight attendant and works 12-hour shifts. My dad owns a glass business and worked as a landscaper. They never complained or let us feel any stress. To afford travel for junior tournaments, my dad and I would stay in grungy hotels, but I didn’t care. I was with my dad on an adventure.
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I won a lot regionally and won my age group in the 2015 U.S. Kids World Championship. I knew I wanted to turn pro. When I was 15, I started waking up at 5 o’clock in the morning to work out. When I wasn’t at school, I was practicing. The more I won, the more obsessed I became.
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When I was looking at colleges, I wanted honesty. When Florida State Head Coach Trey Jones told me, “We aren’t going to treat you any different,” I said, “Perfect.” Everyone on the team, freshman to senior, must qualify for events. We work hard and have accountability. If you show up two minutes late or wear the wrong socks, you hear about it.
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During those first two years of college, Leishman completely changed my mentality. He helped me see that my focus on winning created a lot of anger on the course. The self-imposed pressure to win made every bad shot feel like the end of the world. If I didn’t play well in the first round, I thought about quitting. Now, I think about the work I can do because that’s all I can control. Winning isn’t up to me.
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This mentality shift took time and effort. My faith helped me. I put my faith in the man above to accept whatever happens. I’m not going to let what happens on the course change how I think about myself. Golf isn’t everything. Realizing that freed me up.
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It all clicked when I got to the 2024 U.S. Open at Pinehurst. On Sunday, walking up 18, I was one of the top amateurs in the field. My caddie yelled, “Take off that hat right now!” I waved to the crowd, and everyone cheered. To celebrate, I got ice cream with my dad and girlfriend. I’m a simple guy. I don’t need a lot to have a good time.
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Because of that finish, I got a sponsor’s exemption at the Rocket Mortgage. I was grateful, but I didn’t expect to be in contention. When I finished T-10, I realized my game is good enough. I carried that belief into the John Deere and finished tied for second. The next month, I finished fifth at the Wyndham. Seeing these guys on TV every week and then competing against them is still surreal. I’m warming up and see Scottie Scheffler roll up, and I’m like, What am I doing here?
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With those finishes, I got points for PGA Tour University Accelerated but need more to earn my card. If I turned pro, I would be needing sponsor’s exemptions and trying to Monday qualify. Instead, I decided to go back for my junior year because I love my coach and teammates like family. I can keep getting better as a golfer and a person at Florida State.
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NIL helps, too. People think amateurs now make millions of dollars, but that’s not true. We’re making money, but it’s the type of money that makes it comfortable for me to buy flights to tour events when I get invited without stress.
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When I arrive at a tour event and am handed the keys to a luxury car, I think about those dicey hotels my dad and I stayed in. I never expected my life to be like this. I want to play the best I can, but I’m grateful to be hitting a ball around, living out my childhood dreams.
