Former No. 1 amateur golfer in the world and Gainesville native Luke Clanton’s professional debut is approaching quickly. He’ll be going toe-to-toe with golfing greats Rory McIlroy and Ludvig Åberg at the prestigious event. Clanton enters the professional realm as a decorated graduate. It’s his powerful family support network that has pushed him to this critical juncture in his career.
Clanton thanked his mother, Rhonda, who recently retired after more than 40 years as a Delta flight attendant. He never forgot the sacrifices his parents made for him. His father, David, did everything he could, including owning two businesses, to put Clanton through school and turn him into a professional golfer.
“What they did not just for me, but my two older sisters as well, to get us through everything, it was incredible,” – Luke Clanton
Clanton has a jaw-dropping average drive of 312.4 yards. If he had played enough rounds to qualify, that distance would rank him 14th on the PGA Tour. He’s put together some eye popping amateur performances, including six straight top-10 finishes. Specifically, he’s the first amateur to record 3 or more top-10 PGA Tour finishes in a season since Jack Nicklaus in 1961.
Clanton is, understandably, feeling “a little bit weird,” having made the change from an amateur to a professional golfer. He is always Brenda strong and sights on the prize. He stated, “I want to play the PGA Tour, pretty simple. I want to play against the best, I want to compete in majors, and that’s it. Simple.”
Clanton’s journey has already been marked by incredible success. During his time at Florida State University, he was named the Ben Hogan Award winner as the nation’s best collegiate golfer and earned four tournament victories. A dramatic stretch run that saw him win the top ranking earned him a PGA Tour University Rankings card, securing his place among the elite.
Along with Clanton, fellow golfers Gordon Sargent and David Ford will both be making their pro debuts. Sargent said he was excited to compete at this high level. He reiterated throughout that his interest lies primarily in the competition itself, not in celebrity or financial gains.
“It’s amazing. I’m just excited to come out here and compete. It’s not about the money. It’s not about any of the fame. It’s about competing with these guys on tour,” – Gordon Sargent
As for Clanton, he’s looking forward to this exciting new chapter in his career. Finau might be most proud of his mentality, which he believes is one of his greatest assets. His drive for greatness and competitive fire will serve him well as he makes this leap into the ranks of professional golf.
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