© Jeff Romance / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
FSU Golf’s Luke Clanton, currently the #1 ranked amateur golfer in the world and the #4 ranked NCAA golfer last season, will make his professional debut on the PGA Tour this week at the RBC Canadian Open when he tees off at 7:40am on Thursday alongside Rory McIlroy and Ludvig Aberg. Clanton has already competed in 13 PGA Tour events and made 10 cuts, also finishing tied for 2nd twice, at The RSM Classic and John Deer Classic.
Luke Clanton earned his PGA Tour card through the PGA Tour University program by accruing 20 Accelerated Points during the stretch between last year’s U.S. Open and the Cognizant Classic this year, and how the eyes of the golf world will be on this future PGA Tour superstar.
Prior to making his professional debut on the tour (now eligible to get that $$$$), Luke Clanton was asked by the media if he was entreated by LIV Golf. There is precedent for LIV Golf swooping in to sign new talent and they did it again this week with Josele Ballester, the ASU golfer who peed in the bushes at The Masters this year.
Instead of specifying a specific offer amount, or getting into any details, Luke Clanton shifted the focus to why he is excited to join the PGA Tour. The Florida State Seminole golfer said:
“It’s not about the money. It’s not about any of the fame. It’s about competing against these guys. I want to play the PGA Tour – I want to play against the best, I want to compete in majors.”
That’s not to say that LIV Golf isn’t completely stacked with talent. Some of the greatest golfers in the world play golf for LIV but they have to fight tooth and nail for spots in the Major Championships if they don’t already have automatic qualification. Several of my favorite golfers in the world on the LIV Tour. I could sit here and praise LIV until the cows come home but my perception as a fan isn’t aligned with the perception of competitors on the PGA Tour, at this moment in time.
But Luke Clanton wants to go where the current best golfers in the world are competing. Not where the former best left to get paid. That’s his message. He wants to compete against people thriving on competition.
Many think that Clanton could be a top-10 golfer in the world in short order. He finished runner-up in two PGA Tour events as an amateur and missed out on enormous pay days. Now, he will start collecting the big checks every week and amassing fans on the PGA Tour as the pro golfing world gets to see how much of a grinder this 21-year-old kid from Hialeah, Florida is.
In 13 NCAA events this season, Luke had 4 wins and 4 top 3s. He has competed in 5 PGA Tour events so far in 2025 with mixed results, going Cut, t15, Cut, t18, and t42 at the Valspar Championship, his most recent appearance.