After RSM Classic runner-up, Luke Clanton cracks the OWGR top 100

November 25, 2024 | by AmateurGolf.com Staff

Luke Clanton (PGA Tour Photo)

Clanton is now ranked higher in the OWGR than 2022 champion golfer of the year Cam Smith

Luke Clanton, the standout junior from Florida State and the world’s No. 1-ranked amateur, continues to turn heads in the golf world.

With a runner-up finish at the RSM Classic at Sea Island Golf Club in Georgia, Clanton has climbed to No. 93 on the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR). This makes him the only amateur to break into the top 100 this season — a rare and remarkable feat.

Clanton’s T2 at the RSM Classic adds to an already impressive season on the PGA Tour. Earlier this summer, he finished as a runner-up at the John Deere Classic. He’s also delivered a fifth-place finish at the Wyndham Championship and a T-10 at the Rocket Mortgage Classic, showcasing a level of consistency that is extraordinary for a 21-year-old amateur.

Clanton is ranked No. 1 in the Golfweek/AmateurGolf.com World Rankings.

These results have catapulted him to 93rd, the second-highest OWGR spot ever held by an amateur, trailing only Nick Dunlap, who reached No. 68 just before turning professional.

To put Clanton’s achievement into perspective, he now sits seven spots ahead of Cameron Smith, the 2022 Open Champion and former world No. 2. Smith, currently competing on the LIV Golf circuit, has seen his ranking decline due to LIV Golf’s exclusion from OWGR points.

In 17 point-eligible events since joining LIV, Smith has managed just one win and five top-5 finishes, largely relying on majors and events in the Asian and Australian Tours to maintain his position. Most LIV golfers share this challenge, as these tours offer significantly fewer points compared to the PGA Tour.

Even so, Bryson DeChambeau, the 2024 U.S. Open winner and LIV’s highest-ranked player, stands at No. 10, underscoring the steep uphill battle LIV players face to stay competitive in the rankings.

Meanwhile, Clanton’s rapid rise has been fueled by consistency and poise. In just eight starts this season — seven on the PGA Tour and one at the U.S. Open — he’s missed only one cut and posted three top-5 finishes. It’s a testament to his ability to compete at the highest level, even against seasoned professionals.

Clanton’s success has also bolstered his chances of securing a PGA Tour card. His T2 finish at the RSM Classic earned him two additional points in the PGA Tour University Accelerated program, bringing his total to 17.

With just three points needed to reach the 20-point threshold, Clanton is on the cusp of locking in a direct pathway to professional golf.

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