Luke Clanton has been one of the breakout stars of the past year, with the Florida State University junior coming close to emulating Nick Dunlap's feat of winning on the PGA Tour while still an amateur on multiple occasions.
Clanton burst onto the mainstream scene at the 2024 US Open, where he narrowly finished 2nd in the amateur race to Neal Shipley.
He has since played in nine PGA Tour events, finishing as runner-up twice at the John Deere Classic and RSM Classic as well as fifth at the Wyndham Championship.
Clanton, who recorded FSU's lowest ever single-season scoring average last year (69.33), has made eight out of ten cuts on tour, including at the US Open, and currently ranks 90th in the Official World Golf Ranking - as well as 1st in the World Amateur Golf Ranking.
He makes his 11th PGA Tour start this week at the WM Phoenix Open, where he has a great chance of securing his PGA Tour card via the PGA Tour University's Accelerated program - open to those below senior year.
The 21-year-old Floridian has been accruing a lot of PGA Tour U Accelerated points, and he's now just two points away from securing his playing rights.
A cut made this week will wrap up his card and take him from 18 to the golden 20 points, with one point on offer for making the weekend of a tour event to go along with the point he earns on Wednesday for spending 26 weeks (half a year) atop the WAGR.
If he doesn't make the weekend in Phoenix, he is still highly likely to earn his tour card as he has another start secured at the Valspar Championship next month after winning the Valspar Collegiate in 2024. He is also favorite to win the Ben Hogan Award, given to the top college player, in May - which is worth another point in the PGA Tour U.
Clanton can then turn his attention to the NCAA Division 1 Finals in May where he will be seeking revenge after he lost the deciding match to Auburn's JM Butler to see his FSU side finish 2nd.
