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Jul 7, 2024

Luke Clanton becomes first amateur with back-to-back top-10s on TOUR since 1958

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Rising Florida State junior notches T2 at John Deere Classic after T10 at Rocket Mortgage Classic

    Written by Kevin Prise @PGATOURKevin

    The last time it had been done, the Dallas Cowboys had yet to play a football game. The audio cassette hadn’t been invented. No human had gone to outer space.

    The feat? An amateur posting back-to-back top-10 finishes on the PGA TOUR.

    Luke Clanton authored a piece of modern-era history Sunday at the John Deere Classic, where he followed a T10 at the previous week’s Rocket Mortgage Classic with a runner-up at TPC Deere Run, punctuated by a 25-foot birdie on the 72nd hole in the Quad Cities.


    Luke Clanton sinks a 24-foot birdie putt to finish at John Deere


    It was a fitting conclusion to a sparkling week at the John Deere, as the rising Florida State junior proved that his recent performances were no fluke. Clanton made the cut at last month’s U.S. Open Championship at Pinehurst Resort, finishing T41, and he has continued to improve upon his finishes as he finds continued comfort at the game’s highest level – as a 20-year-old college kid.

    Clanton dazzled at the Deere with rounds of 63-67-67-63, and he would’ve seriously contended for the title if not for 54-hole leader Davis Thompson shutting the door with five birdies in his first seven holes Sunday, ultimately cruising to a four-stroke win at 28-under. It has been the year of the amateur on the PGA TOUR, as Clanton admirably follows in the footsteps of Nick Dunlap, who won The American Express in January as an amateur (the first amateur winner on TOUR since Phil Mickelson in 1991) and turned pro the following week.


    Luke Clanton's interview after Round 4 of John Deere


    Clanton will compete at next week’s ISCO Championship in Kentucky on a sponsor exemption, and he’ll keep the “a” (denoting amateur) next to his name. He’s now at nine PGA TOUR University Accelerated points (accruing two this week; one for a made cut and one for a top-10), chasing the 20 cumulative points that awards automatic PGA TOUR membership following the next academic year.

    Numbers aside, Clanton has the game for a long and successful career at the highest level. Wherever he’s going, he doesn’t appear in too much of a rush to get there, choosing to savor these moments and experiences. He appeared genuinely moved Sunday when learning where his back-to-back top-10s stacked in historical context – the last to do so was Billy Joe Patton at the 1957 U.S. Open and 1958 Masters. Patton was a career amateur who played on six U.S. Walker Cup teams, finished third at the 1954 Masters as an amateur and received the USGA’s Bob Jones Award in 1982 – the organization’s highest honor, recognizing distinguished sportsmanship in golf.


    Luke Clanton's chip-in birdie from fringe at John Deere


    Clanton will most certainly pursue a professional golf career, but those sportsmanlike qualities were on display Sunday at the John Deere. The South Florida native thanked his family for allowing him to pursue his golf dreams, and a true family effort it has been. His dad David works three jobs, as a landscaper, running a glass business and giving golf lessons. His mom Rhonda works 15-hour shifts as a flight attendant. His sisters Ray and Abby sacrificed hobbies so the family could dedicate resources to his junior golf development.

    Clanton said at the U.S. Open that his top priority for the immediate future is to earn enough with his golf to allow his parents to retire. He won’t earn any money for his showing at the John Deere, but the returns for his confidence and self-belief are intangible.

    “It just kind of proves again to me I know I can win out here,” Clanton said Sunday. “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 … in second place … it just kind of shows me if I keep grinding and doing my thing, I'll be alright.”

    Kevin Prise is an associate editor for the PGA TOUR. He is on a lifelong quest to break 80 on a course that exceeds 6,000 yards and to see the Buffalo Bills win a Super Bowl. Follow Kevin Prise on Twitter.