ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. – Luke Clanton is prepared for the PGA Tour.
If he hadn’t solidified that earlier than, he definitely did Sunday, ending only a shot again of RSM Basic winner Maverick McNealy. Clanton, the Florida State junior and world’s top-ranked beginner, bogeyed the par-4 18th at Sea Island’s Seaside Course, then watched as McNealy birdied that very same gap to interrupt out of a possible playoff with Clanton, Nico Echavarria and Daniel Berger and seize his long-awaited first PGA Tour title.
Clanton shouldn’t be far behind.
“It was one other good week,” Clanton stated. “It’s laborious, man. It’s a tough loss, for certain. I feel God’s given me a fantastic expertise, and to be out right here generally, simply to be in competition once more, it’s superior. It’s going to be a troublesome one to positively take, for certain, after bogeying the final, however I feel it’s confirmed to me that out right here I can win.”
Clanton’s T-2 marked his second such end on the PGA Tour, following the John Deere Basic in July, although Clanton’s Deere runner-up got here by 4. He had two different top-10s this season, on the Rocket Mortgage Basic (T-10) and Wyndham Championship (fifth), and it’s all added as much as Clanton rising to No. 93 within the Official World Golf Rating, the second-best place by an beginner ever, behind solely Nick Dunlap, who vaulted to No. 68 simply days earlier than turning skilled.
After all, Clanton’s torrid run towards the professionals has additionally allowed him to rack up factors in PGA Tour College’s Accelerated program, which awards PGA Tour playing cards to school gamers who obtain varied elite benchmarks. Clanton acquired two extra factors at RSM, one for making the minimize and one other for a top-10 end, pushing his complete to 17.
He’d already be at 20, too, if the PGA Tour determined to retroactively apply a latest change that, beginning subsequent yr, will see top-5 finishes awarded a further level.
Luke Clanton tied for second on the RSM Basic, one other unimaginable end for the beginner and one other huge paycheck he couldn’t acquire.
However Clanton’s path to a PGA Tour card by subsequent summer time remains to be extraordinarily clear: He’s a digital lock to win the Hogan Award, which considers efficiency in any respect ranges, not simply school. Profitable the Hogan would internet him the three factors he wants, and Clanton would certainly forego his senior yr to take up his PGA Tour membership in June, after the NCAA Championship.
“Each time we step out right here, the one aim now we have is to win,” Clanton stated. “I feel PGA Tour U’s been a fantastic alternative for all of us as school gamers who’ve these type of abilities and go professional sooner.”
And what a expertise Clanton is.
Clanton logged 29 rounds this season on the PGA Tour, not sufficient to make him eligible for any strokes-gained ranks. However his off-the-tee numbers would slot him second, behind solely Cameron Champ, whereas he’d path solely Scottie Scheffler and Tony Finau on strategy. Oh, and he’d even be ranked No. 43 in strokes gained placing.
“I feel once more, my sport’s there, thoughts’s there, God’s good…,” Clanton stated.
All he wants now could be that card.
