Rising star makes Cognizant cut, earns final point needed for PGA Tour membership
Todd Kelly- Luke Clanton, a standout golfer from Florida State, has earned his PGA Tour card through the PGA Tour University Accelerated program.
- The amateur golfer shot a 67 on Thursday and followed it up with a strong performance on Friday, highlighted by a stretch of four consecutive birdies.
- Clanton will officially join the PGA Tour in June 2025 after the NCAA Championships.
Welcome to the PGA Tour, Luke Clanton.
The Florida State standout made the cut Friday at the 2025 Cognizant Classic in the Palm Beaches and that earned him the 20th and final point needed for a PGA Tour card via the PGA Tour University Accelerated program after posting a 5-under 66. Clanton can formally accept membership in June 2025 after the NCAAs.
Notably, he was the marquee name on the streaming channel menu for his featured group on PGA Tour Live on ESPN+ on Friday and when his group finished, he walked off the course tied for ninth, four shots off the lead.
Sporting his new Nike gear after signing a deal last week, Clanton, the lone amateur in the field at PGA National, opened with a 67 Thursday. On Friday, he rebounded from a second-hole bogey to card four straight birdies. After a par on No. 7, Clanton made another birdie on No. 8 and the fans in his growing gallery could be heard chanting: "Luuuuuuuuuuuuuuuke."
And forget about just making the cut. Clanton's birdie there got him to 4 under on the day and 8 under overall to climb into the top five.
Four straight pars would slide him outside the top 10 as other golfers began to make their moves, but that was OK for Clanton, who was steady down the stretch. After a bogey on 15, he rebounded with a birdie on 16, rolling in a long putt that had about five feet of break. That got him back to 8 under.
After a par on 17, he birdied the 18th with a 10-foot putt to make a PGA Tour cut for the eighth time 12 outings. Next up: a pair of weekend tee times at PGA National. Then the countdown to June and a PGA Tour card.