Luke Clanton's John Deere runner-up earns mark not seen in 66 years

This season has been the yr of the newbie in skilled golf.

First, Nick Dunlap shocked the golf world by changing into the primary newbie to win on the PGA Tour since 1991. Then Neal Shipley received over followers because the low newbie at each the Masters and U.S. Open whereas three youngsters were simultaneously turning heads on the Korn Ferry and PGA Excursions.

Now because the summer time warmth has turned on, the PGA Tour is shortly becoming familiar with 20-year-old Luke Clanton.

After briefly contending and ending up with a T10 end final week on the Rocket Mortgage Traditional in his first common PGA Tour begin, Clanton was in it till the top this week.

After opening with 63 on Thursday, Clanton went nuclear once more Sunday. The rising junior at Florida State went out in 33, however got here dwelling in 30 on the energy of birdies on every of the final three holes and 4 of the final 5.

That earned him a co-runner-up end and a bit of historical past. Along with his second top-10 end is back-to-back wins, Clanton turned the primary newbie to do this on the PGA Tour since Billy Joe Patton in 1958.

He had no concept of the importance of his end.

“I didn’t even know that both. I promise you, man, I’m fairly easy relating to all this,” Clanton stated. “That’s superior to even understand that. Making just a little bit extra historical past is fairly candy little doubt. Couple extra occasions arising so hopefully we are able to win one.”

The newbie was electrical down the stretch Sunday. Whereas Davis Thompson had put the tournament on ice with four holes to play, Clanton may have secured a spot within the Open Championship had he separated from co-runners-up C.T. Pan and Michael Thorbjornsen, who himself simply completed a standout profession at Standford and earned a PGA Tour card by means of PGA Tour College.

Pan in the end bought the second of the 2 accessible spots on the John Deere by advantage of his larger Official World Golf Rating.

Clanton claimed he didn’t know concerning the potential spot at Royal Troon, however he would have had lots of people fooled by the way in which he fist-pumped after draining his ultimate birdie putt from practically 25 ft on 18.

“It simply type of proves once more to me I do know I can win out right here,” he stated. “I believe I don’t need to sound cocky or something, however I wished to show to myself I can do it. After final week, being up there and in competition and this week being hopefully in second place, no matter it’s, it simply type of exhibits me if I maintain grinding and doing my factor I’ll be all proper.”

Clanton, the No. 1 Novice on the earth made a daring assertion earlier within the week that he believes about 20 amateurs within the faculty ranks presently may win on the PGA Tour. Many shook it off, even after Dunlap’s historic win in January.

But when Clanton continues to contend on Tour over the summer time, or extra faculty gamers throw up loopy scores, it might not have been that far off.

Jack Hirsh

Golf.com Editor

Jack Hirsh is an assistant editor at GOLF. A Pennsylvania native, Jack is a 2020 graduate of Penn State College, incomes levels in broadcast journalism and political science. He was captain of his highschool golf staff and just lately returned to this system to function head coach. Jack additionally nonetheless *tries* to stay aggressive in native amateurs. Earlier than becoming a member of GOLF, Jack spent two years working at a TV station in Bend, Oregon, primarily as a Multimedia Journalist/reporter, but in addition producing, anchoring and even presenting the climate. He may be reached at [email protected].