Luke Clanton is in competition for the second consecutive week on the PGA Tour — as an beginner.
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These previous few years the highest storylines round males’s skilled golf have swirled round one ethos: revenue maximization.
So it was greater than a bit of refreshing when, earlier this week, beginner Luke Clanton supplied a special perspective.
Clanton is a rising junior at Florida State. Final month, he made the lower on the U.S. Open, although Neal Shipley edged him for low am honors. He improved on that efficiency finally week’s Rocket Mortgage Traditional, the place he performed on a sponsor exemption and completed T10. As a result of Clanton has remained an beginner, he’s forfeiting the big-time paychecks that include big-time outcomes on the PGA Tour, however in a pre-tournament press convention at this week’s John Deere Traditional, he made it clear that he’s OK with that.
Clanton was sporting a “Union Residence Mortgage” emblem on his shirt and hat, a reminder that we’re in a brand new period on the subject of beginner golf, when a reporter requested: Is there a lot NIL (identify, picture and likeness) sponsorship cash in faculty golf?
“There’s a bit of bit, little question,” he mentioned.
However not, certainly, the identical quantity he may make on the PGA Tour?
“I believe it’s sufficient for a university scholar, for certain. I believe it’s — I don’t really want some huge cash proper now. I’m 20 years previous, nonetheless at Florida State College. It’s sufficient to deal with what we have now right here and to have the ability to journey. I believe it’s good.”
Great things there, particularly that two-word phrase we haven’t seen a lot of: “It’s sufficient.”
That echoed an identical sentiment he expressed on the Rocket Mortgage:
“I play golf to play golf. I believe having the ability to play golf along with your buddies each single day, it’s one thing you don’t get very a lot. I’ve acquired 12 dudes on that crew that I completely love, so it’s superior.”
Maybe one key to Clanton’s contentedness is that the 20-year-old feels assured that there’s loads of prize cash in his taking part in future. He confirmed that at Pinehurst and at Detroit Golf Membership, and he’s exhibiting that by means of two rounds at this week’s John Deere, too, the place he opened 63-67 and, as of Friday afternoon, sits T4 on the match’s midway level. That’s a key to understanding Clanton: He’s actually good. DataGolf has him ranked as one of the best beginner on this planet. He’s not brief on self-assuredness.
Requested if he’s shocked to be on these leaderboards, Clanton principally shrugged.
“Probably not,” he mentioned. “I don’t need to sound cocky or boastful in any respect, however we’ve educated to do what we’re doing right here.”
That doesn’t imply he’s taking it without any consideration. Clanton got here off the course on Friday expressing simply how a lot enjoyable he’d had battling his strategy to a four-under 67 that included a double bogey-birdie-birdie-par end.
“I knew I used to be going to make birdie, birdie,” he mentioned of his mindset following the double. “I knew it. I knew after I acquired that double, I mentioned to myself, we ain’t ending at 10-under; we’re going to complete at 12.”
Clanton’s sport has him swimming in summer time alternative. This week, as an illustration, he could possibly be on the prestigious Palmer Cup, however he’s right here as an alternative. He’ll play the ISCO in Kentucky subsequent week, then take per week off, then play the 3M Open. There’s loads of PGA Tour golf in his future even earlier than he turns professional. However his objective?
“I believe objective No. 1 is to win a nationwide championship with my crew,” he mentioned of his fellow Seminoles. Each crew and particular person can be nice, he provides.
He allowed that circumstances may change if, say, he received the John Deere this week — “we’ll see,” he mentioned, appropriately including that “we have now two extra days of golf” — however he was eager on emphasizing one phrase for the week.
“I’m simply having enjoyable,” he mentioned. “I’m going to say that again and again as a result of it’s the reality. I’m probably not attempting to suppose an excessive amount of about all of it.”
He has mates in excessive locations, this proficient 20-year-old. Fellow FSU golfer Brooks Koepka has helped him along with his mindset, he mentioned, thanks to a few rounds collectively.
“He helped me rather a lot with simply staying calmer by means of rounds and understanding to take it one shot at a time,” Clanton mentioned of Koepka. “Sounds easy and it’s, however once you’re on the market and attempting to chase birdies, it will get caught up in your head. So I spotted simply take it one shot at a time. Understanding that I’m going to hit unhealthy golf pictures; it’s not going to be good on a regular basis. Simply understanding that.”
He’s additionally borrowed from the mindset of World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, with whom he shared a follow spherical on the U.S. Open.
“Finest participant on this planet I believe by a mile proper now,” Clanton mentioned. “I talked to him a bunch about his religion and my religion and understanding that he mentioned to me, golf is only a sport. It doesn’t establish who I’m. When he mentioned that to me, it type of clicked, as a result of it’s understanding that this sport of golf doesn’t establish who I’m off the golf course, on the golf course.
“Once more, I’m simply having enjoyable.”
It’s simpler to have enjoyable, after all, once you’re taking part in nicely. But it surely’s additionally simpler to play nicely once you’re having enjoyable. Clanton has labored himself into this virtuous cycle, a top-tier beginner taking part in in opposition to the top-tier expertise on the PGA Tour and acquitting himself admirably, letting enjoyable and confidence every feed off one another, realizing good issues will observe.
For now, it’s sufficient. Greater than sufficient, even.
