Luke Clanton’s 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 have been concurrently turning heads on the Korn Ferry and PGA Excursions.

Now because the summer time warmth has turned on, the PGA Tour is shortly changing into accustomed to 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 at it once more this week.

After opening the John Deere Traditional with a 63 on Thursday, Clanton went nuclear once more Sunday. The rising junior at Florida State went out in 33, however got here house in 30 on the power 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 chunk of historical past. Together with his second top-10 end in back-to-back begins, Clanton grew to become the primary newbie to try this on the PGA Tour since Billy Joe Patton in 1958.

He had no thought of the importance of his end.

“I didn’t even know that both. I promise you, man, I’m fairly easy in terms of all this,” Clanton stated. “That’s superior to even notice that. Making a bit bit extra historical past is fairly candy little question. 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 match on ice with 4 holes to play, Clanton might 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 obtainable spots on the John Deere by advantage of his greater Official World Golf Rating.

Clanton claimed he didn’t know in regards to 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 toes on 18.

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

Clanton, the No. 1 newbie on the planet, made a daring assertion earlier within the week that he believes about 20 amateurs within the school ranks at the moment might 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 this summer time, he’ll let his play do the speaking.

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 workforce and 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 additionally producing, anchoring and even presenting the climate. He could be reached at jack.hirsh@golf.com.