Being the best amateur golfer in the world is a great accomplishment for the state of Florida Luke Clantonand instead of raising his professional potential, he is back to State of Florida with only one goal in mind: a national title.
“I wanted to win a national championship and that’s my number one goal with this team. I think all these guys are incredible,” Clanton said. “I think we get a little underrated sometimes and I think this year is going to be incredible.”
Last season, Clanton and the FSU golf team made their first historic national championship. The fifth-seeded Seminoles lost to Auburn in the final game, 3-2.
Clanton hopes to return to Carlsbad, Calif., after coming within a point of a national title for the Seminoles. Every time he’s on a golf course or in a gym, he thinks about it.
“It’s one of those things where getting to the Finals and losing is no joke,” Clanton said.
“I think everybody saw the emotion that we felt as a team. And you know, when you train all year to get to that moment, and you don’t get there, it’s tough. I’m not going to lie and say, ‘Oh, that’s awesome. That’s brutal.’”
Although he was a finalist, Clanton is proud of the season he had.
He finished the year with first-team All-American honors, All-Southeast Region selection, All-ACC selection and was a finalist for the Jack Nicklaus and Fred Haskins Awards as national player of the year.
Over his career, Clanton has a 70.35 GAA, which is the second-lowest in FSU history, behind John Pak’s 69.87 (2019-21).
Luke Clanton Says Being World’s No. 1 Amateur Golfer Is ‘No Joke’
This summer worked wonders for Clanton in his first PGA Tour appearance.
He has competed in five PGA Tour events, including the U.S. Open, the John Deere Classic and the Wyndham Championship. He finished in the top 10 three times.
At the John Deere Classic, he finished second after finishing 10th at the Rocket Mortage Classic, becoming the first amateur to finish in the top 10 in back-to-back PGA Tour starts since Billy Joe Patton in 1957.
“Yeah, I was a little shocked, no doubt,” Clanton said.
“I mean, when I finished second at John Deere, I was like, ‘Wow, this is pretty cool. It’s a little different than normal and, you know, but again, I’ve been out of racing for 18 years and I’ve seen my mom and dad there. No matter what I do, no matter how I finish, they’re always there for me.”
Clanton felt right at home and felt that playing on the PGA golf courses was no different than playing at Club Corp.
He also put to good use the knowledge he gained from being around other professional golfers he met, such as Scottie Scheffler, Gary Woodland and FSU alumnus Vincent Norrman.
“I was this little kid who asked questions pretty much all the time,” Clanton said.
“I think there’s so much knowledge that we don’t really know as amateur golfers, and to absorb that and then come to college and have that as well with practice and how you head into tournaments, it’s pretty incredible.”
Clanton is not the only top amateur golfer in the world.
Senior Lottie Woad also carries that title on the women’s side. Clanton humbly congratulated Woad on her accomplishments and wouldn’t dare challenge her for the top spot as a Seminole.
“She was No. 1 before me, and she’s incredible,” Clanton said. “So, you know, I can’t really say much more than that. She’s done incredible things this summer.”
Clanton was honored by receiving the Mark H. McCormack Medal and being named the 2024 World Amateur Golf Ranking of the Year. It’s an honor he wouldn’t take for granted.
“Being No. 1 in the world is no joke, and I’m extremely happy about that,” Clanton said.
“But it wasn’t as fulfilling as I thought it would be. I think my fulfillment comes from the man above me and the realization that, you know, he’s given me these opportunities and the blessings that I have, and it’s great.”
Peter Holland Jr. covers Florida sports for the Tallahassee Democrat. Contact him by email at [email protected] or on X @_Da_pistol.
This article was originally published on the Tallahassee Democrat: Luke Clanton focused on leading FSU golf team to first national championship
