Luke Clanton is a rising star on the PGA Tour after graduating through the circuit's PGA Tour U Accelerated program early in 2025.
The Florida-born golfer dominated amateur golf for several years, winning eight times before earning the chance to turn pro in the summer of 2025, and reached World Amateur No.1 prior to claiming his spot on the historic US circuit.
Clanton followed in the footsteps of players like Ludvig Aberg and Gordon Sargent to have made the step up to the PGA Tour after topping the recently introduced college-to-pro-game pathway.
Since 2022, Clanton has been able to count on one man at his side as he has navigated the sharp end of the amateur game and entered into the paid ranks - Jason Wiertel.
The story explaining how they met is one based around chance - they took a gamble on each other having never met before Clanton claimed one of the most prestigious titles in amateur golf.
Speaking ahead of the 2025 Valspar Championship, the Florida State University alumn shared how he first met Wiertel and what his caddie means to him.
Clanton said: "He’s an amazing dude. I don’t think he gets enough credit for what he’s done for me, the role model he’s [been for] me. He’s not just a great caddie, he’s a great person, a great dad, and he does things the right way. It’s pretty cool to have him by my side.
"We connected at Pinehurst three years ago during the North & South Amateur. I was there about two days early hitting balls on the other side of the range, which I wasn’t allowed to be, but I was doing it anyway, and his little daughter came over to me, Lucy. She asked me how far I hit a pitching wedge. Random question.
"He came over and asked if I had a caddie and I said: 'Oh, no, I don’t have a caddie this week.' And he said: 'Well, if you want to win, you can use me.' And I’m like, alright, man, I've never met you before, and we’ll see."
A text chain shared in a post on Wiertel's Instagram corroborated Clanton version of events, with the player messaging the man who would soon be his caddie on June 27, 2022 - the day before the North & South Amateur began.
After agreeing to loop for Clanton throughout the majority of the match-play portion, Wiertel explained to his new boss that he wouldn't be able to help out on championship Sunday to which Clanton insisted it would be no issue.
The PGA Tour pro continued: "We made match play and I was the first tee time off at like 6:50 in the morning and he was there at 5:30 with a towel in his back pocket. I knew, okay, this guy’s legit. We went on to win that week and I looked at him after, I said, I want you here every single step.
"At the ceremony I was giving a speech and I didn’t see him there. So I texted him, I said, Where you at? This is a cool moment. He goes, I’m caddying for my daughter right now. So [he] drove over and caddied for his little daughter in a nine-hole US Kids event. I went over to give him thanks and I knew right there he’s not just there to be there for the awards, he’s there for me, which is pretty cool."
Wiertel has been at Clanton's side ever since, including as he takes the next step in his career onto the PGA Tour after completing his final year at FSU.
The pro caddie - who was formerly a teacher - has a wife called Sarah and three daughters called Lucy, Gracie and Alli.
Jason Wiertel and Lucy have a podcast called 'Grow the Grind' which "offers insight and perspective from golf parents, elite junior golfers, collegiate athletes, PGA professionals, LPGA stars, and golf nuts who continue to work at, love, and improve their game day in and day out without burning out."
