Luke Clanton talks with CBS-TV reporter Amanda Balionis after his runner-up finish at the John Deere Classic.
Luke Clanton will be playing in the ISCO Championship this week at Champions at Keene Trace outside Nicholasville after becoming the first amateur since Billy Joe Patton in1957 to finish in the top 10 in consecutive weeks on the PGA Tour.
Clanton tied for 10th at the Rocket Mortgage Classic two weeks ago and last week was second at the John Deere Classic.
The 20-year-old Florida State junior to be was also 41st at the U.S. Open Championship and is playing this week on a sponsor’s exemption.
“I mean, it’s been one heck of a month, I guess you can say, just kind of back to back to back. To be here this week again and be playing another PGA TOUR event’s awesome,” Clanton said Tuesday at Keene Trace. “I mean, the opportunities that have kind of been given to me has been incredible. If we keep kind of staying in our process and keep doing what we’re doing, we’ll be all right.”
Here is more of what Clanton had to say at Tuesday’s press conference:
Question: How much confidence did you get from the U.S. Open finish?
LUKE CLANTON: “Yeah, the U.S. Open’s no joke. It was tough and it was brutal. We had to birdie the last two holes to get in the cut. To birdie those last two holes and to make it on the cut line, I guess, the number and play well on Saturday and play pretty well on Sunday, it was awesome.
“I mean, to kind of feel that pressure again and feel it in front of thousands of people and play that kind of golf is awesome, and again at the Rocket and kind of be within the last couple groups, and at the John Deere the same thing. It’s been a lot of learning for me. I think it’s been just great experiences and understanding that if we keep staying what we’re doing in the process and the zone we have and the work ethic I have, it’s going to be good.”
Question: Talk about this track here and how it suits your game.
LUKE CLANTON: “Yeah, we played the back nine today. The course, I think it’s one of those golf courses where if you drive it well this week, you’ll be in a good spot. I think off the tee into the green I’ve been playing really, really well the last couple weeks. If we get the putter kind of rolling pretty well and just get the speed right on these greens, I think we’ll be in a pretty good spot.”
Question: You’ve won a lot of tournaments as an amateur. Do you recall your first win and the feeling that you got when you won? What was that feeling like?
LUKE CLANTON: “It was actually the Azalea Am and I remember it really well because I was in a little bit of a drought of winning and I was freaking out coming down the last three holes. I birdied 17 and made like a five footer on 18 to win.
“Honestly, that feeling was one of the best moments because just kind of breaking through and winning kind of a bigger event was a big goal of mine, of course. Kind of getting that confidence to myself knowing that I can still do it was awesome. And then I think we went on to win the South Beach a couple months later, and the NorthSouth as well. That was a great year, kind of getting a lot of confidence for sure.”
Question: When you eventually go back to campus at Florida State, what do you think that reaction will be like and do you think it will feel any different?
LUKE CLANTON: “All those guys back home at Florida State, they’re all brothers to me. I think one thing that Trey told me when I walked in, that no one’s treated differently. I’m pretty excited for that because I think when we get back it’s still going to be hard work, we’re still going to grind, still going to do everything we can, still a lot of qualifiers. I think that’s the good thing about Florida State is we work hard. We’re not really just given a spot on the team. I think that’s something that Trey has really looked forward to is just kind of pushing the team’s limits and we’ve done a great job the last couple years. I think this year as well we’re going to have a great team, we’re going to have a lot of good guys who are going to be able to play on this team. I mean six to eight dudes that can play. But again, I think Trey Jones, Ryan Heisey, our new coach Matt Wallace, it’s just going to be a good organization and we’re going to have a lot of fun.”
Question: What would you say is the strength of your game the last few weeks, months, and what do you think is a place in your game that you probably need to do a little bit more work on?
LUKE CLANTON: “ I think the biggest thing is mentally. I think mentally I’ve been really in a good spot, just kind of staying focused on my game. I think my caddie Jason Wiertel’s been a big help with that. I think everything along those lines, it’s been awesome. I think nothing has really changed much in my game except mentally.
Of course I would like to make a few more putts here and there, no doubt about it, but anyone can say that. It’s one of those things where golf is golf, you’re going to go out and make a lot of putts, some days you’re not. I think if we just keep sticking to our game plan and keep staying aggressive off the tee and keep hitting great iron shots, we’ll be in a good spot.”
