Amateur sensation Luke Clanton ready for next attempt at earning PGA Tour card

Luke Clanton may have missed the cut at the 2025 World Championship Phoenix Open, but he could be close to earning a PGA Tour card soon. The Florida State junior will tee it up at the Cognizant Classic on a sponsor's exemption.

Clanton nearly clinched his PGA Tour card two weeks ago at TPC Scottsdale but missed the cut by one stroke. With the PGA Tour moving to the Palm Beaches next week, Luke Clanton will get his chance at redemption at the Cognizant Classic. On Tuesday, the tournament confirmed the news of his participation. NBC journalist Brentley Romine also broke the news to Clanton's fans via a post on his X account:

"Luke Clanton will play next week's Cognizant Classic on a sponsor exemption, still needing one made cut to earn his PGA Tour card via Accelerated. Clanton will now likely miss FSU's next event, the Cabo Collegiate, which starts March 2, the Sunday of Cognizant."

Clanton has already secured 19 PGA Tour University Accelerated points and is just 1 point shy of earning his pro card. The 21-year-old golfer will have another chance to achieve his dream at PGA National Resort from February 27 to March 2.

Luke Clanton came close to earning his PGA Tour card two weeks ago at The People's Open at TPC Scottsdale. Over the final seven holes, Clanton birdied a total of four holes. However, he missed a 20-foot birdie putt on the final hole and missed the cut at the Waste Management.

Luke Clanton talked about not making it past the cut-line in the post-match interview (as quoted by PGA Tour):

“I had to make five birdies in my last eight holes and put four up and had a great chance on 18. It's tough. It’s hard to take. But I'm going to walk in my faith and keep understanding that it's not my time."

Before starting his run for PGA Tour membership at Cognizant, Clanton is currently playing in the WaterSound Invitational. He is playing his first collegiate tournament in Panama City, Florida. As of Monday, Clanton is tied for 28th place on the leaderboard with a 1-over 73 at the end of the first round.

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Luke Clanton's performance in 2024

Clanton had a decent performance in his PGA Tour run last year. The Florida native made eight starts in 2024, missing the cut in just one event. He also finished in the top 10 four times and even tied for second at the RSM Classic at Sea Island Resort.

Here's a detailed look at all the performances of Luke Clanton in 2024:

• U.S. Open, T41, 76-69-69-74, 288 (+8)
• Rocket Mortgage Classic, T10, 69-68-65-72, 274 (-14)
• John Deere Classic, T2, 63-67-67-63, 260 (-24)
• ISCO Championship, T36, 70-65-69-71, 275 (-13)
• 3M Open, Missed The Cut, 71-72, 143 (+1)
• Wyndham Championship, 5, 68-67-62-69, 266 (-14)
• Procore Championship, T50, 70-68-72-75, 285 (-3)
• The RSM Classic, T2, 68-65-68-66, 267 (-15)

Heading into the 2025 Cognizant Classic, Clanton is looking to earn his 20th point and a PGA Tour card this season. Despite missing the cut at the Sony Open and WM Phoenix this year, Clanton tied for 15th at the Farmers Insurance Open. At Torrey Pines in La Jolla, the 2024 Jack Nicklaus Award finalist finished at 1-under 287.