Amateur golfer tipped to make shock Ryder Cup debut

It says everything about Luke Clanton’s rise that the world No.1 amateur is also No.92 in the Official World Golf Rankings. 

Before last summer, Clanton, a college player at Florida State, was a relatively unknown quantity.

Now, after securing his PGA Tour card through the circuit’s PGA Tour University Accelerated Program, the 21-year-old American is being tipped to become one of the sport’s biggest stars.

Clanton already has two runner-up finishes on the PGA Tour and his seamless step up even has some wondering if he could make a case for Ryder Cup selection this September.

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“Is it that hot of a take?” Matt Every, the two-time PGA Tour winner, argued on the Sky Sports Golf podcast.

“He’s a nice player and he’s got a great captain. If he’s going to need a pick, he’s got a great captain for it. I really doubt Keegan is going to rip right down the list 7 through 12. I don’t see that happening.”

Clanton is the second player to earn PGA Tour membership through the Accelerated program after Gordon Sargent, who has elected to defer membership until the end of his senior season this year.

Both players would be eligible to accept PGA Tour cards upon turning pro after the conclusion of stroke play at the the NCAA D-I National Championship in May.

Clanton’s rise, however, has more striking similarities with Ludvig Aberg than Sargent.

Aberg earned his PGA Tour card after topping the PGA Tour University standings in June 2023 and by that September was a member of Luke Donald’s winning Ryder Cup team.

After winning the Genesis Invitational at Torrey Pines last month, the Swede is now the No.4 in the world and is primed to contend for majors for years to come.

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Every, who won back-to-back Arnold Palmer Invitational titles in 2014 and 2015, thinks Clanton and Aberg are benefitting from PGA Tour’s “long overdue” pathway from the college system.

“These guys are coming out bulletproof, zero scar tissues, they’re seeing their buddies do it,” he added. “It’s ridiculous. It’s not a shock for me to see him get his card. He’s going to be a household name here if he’s not already.

“The PGA Tour University that the tour put into play a couple years ago – long overdue. We were one of the only major sports not to have a direct pipeline to the pro level.

“But these guys have been killing it off PGA Tour U. Ludvig, [Michael] Thorbjornsen, you’ve got Clanton now. It’s a great ladder for these guys to get comfortable on the tour but it feels they already are comfortable. I would actually like to see them give more spots to the college kids.

“They’re stepping up to the plate and delivering. The proof is in the pudding.”

Ben Parsons joined bunkered as a Content Producer in 2023 and is the man to come to for all of the latest news, across both the professional and amateur games. Formerly of The Mirror and Press Association, he is a member at Halifax Golf Club and is a long-suffering fan of both Manchester United and the Wales rugby team.