Luke Clanton’s Incredible Run: Success as a 20-year-old amateur on Tour

Here’s my adjusted description:

Join Smylie Kaufman as he dives deep into 20-year-old amateur Luke Clanton’s incredible run on the PGA Tour. He’s made history with back-to-back top-10 finishes, a feat not seen since 1958! Luke shares his incredible experiences from his phenomenal 2024 season, his thoughts on the future, and some unforgettable stories of meeting his golf idols like Scottie Scheffler and Brooks Koepka.

Highlights:
– Recap the weekend in golf and Luke’s recent top-10 finishes.
– Exclusive insights into the PGA Tour U acceleratecd rankings.
– Luke’s unique journey through college golf at Florida State.
– Fun anecdotes about meeting PGA stars and learning from them.
– Preview the upcoming tournaments and Luke’s plans.

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#LukeClanton #golf #pgatour #progolf #golfpodcast #golftrip #pgachampionship #rorymcilroy #scottiescheffler #Pga #GolfLife #PgaTour #SmylieKaufman #pgatourpodcast #scottishopen #theopen #openchampionship #britishopen #usopen #FSU #floridastate #seminoles

CHAPTERS:
00:00 – Intro: WearSPF
07:15 – How ya feeling, Luke?
10:15 – What changed from Freshman to Sophomore year
14:00 – Did you always hit it far
17:03 – The Meathead Luke Clanton phase
19:50 – 2024 US Open
21:50 – What’s your motivation right now
23:50 – What video games do you play
25:20 – How much do you learn from playing with the best in the world
31:05 – PGA Tour U
33:30 – Point System
37:30 – Sponsor Exemptions
39:43 – Last complaint
41:24 – Good luck at the ISCO championship
42:08 – What’s it like being on TOUR
44:16 – Where can we see you next
45:17 – Outro

[Music] hang Smiley cumman for 61 wow I’m Smiley caufman and this is the Smiley Show welcome back to another episode of the Smiley Show and this is one I am I am particularly pumped about this one I I know you’re particularly pumped about this one as well because this is a guy that we have been hammering the last two weeks for our one andone picks a phenomenally talented young player Luke Clinton you obviously if you’ve been following golf really the past month you saw him TI for 41st of the US Open and have that Showdown with Neil Shipley the the low am contest on Sunday and then keeps keeps it rolling keeps momentum going top 10 at the rocket mortgage classic and then follows that up with a tie for second at the John Deere classic just playing exceptionally good golf right now uh as we speak at the time recording this guy’s favor 16 to1 the favorite going into the opposite field event this week against the Scottish open uh formerly the Bob barbasol I believe it’s the Isco Championship but he has he has nine points in the PGA Tour accelerator rankings PGA Tour U accelerator rankings probably should have more uh on a great run of form right now uh in golf so have a really really fun conversation to share with with with you all Smiley and Luke talking about just what the last month’s been like Luke’s exposure to tour life super cool stuff but before we get to that conversation Smiley we are thrilled to have a new presenting sponsor for the show and one that’s near and dear to both of our hearts as as uh guys pretty pale guys who burn pretty easily when we get out on the golf course yes and that is and that is wef that you know do some incredible sunscreen products among other things so I’m going to kick it over to you now you know tell me a little bit about your we SPF experience and and just the importance of putting on sunscreen when you’re out playing no uh we are just thrilled to be working with where SPF uh I got introduced to the sunscreen and the brand via Justin Thomas a lot of people that I’m sure have seen the logo or just been kind of familiar with seeing that that light blue bottle uh yeah it’s uh Justin was the first person to give me some of the product uh for me to try out and if you’re not familiar with Justin Thomas’s story when it comes to Skin Care um and and and his skin cancer that actually he had in his leg removed uh it just is a a friendly reminder to go get checked I know I’ve immediately went and scheduled a skincare appointment right after and that was probably a couple years ago I’m probably due for another appointment here to go get checked as well but uh yeah Charlie I’m I’m really excited about this this partnership with with we SPF as somebody that is outside all the time and trying not to get burned um and I’m a vitamin D deficient guy as well so there’s there’s a lot of factors in here for me and uh with with where SPF it’s been so far this this stuff has been really really good for me this is a it was a big learning moment for us because we sat down you know we obviously know the importance of sunscreen for the reasons you listed Justin Thomas you don’t want to get skin cancer you don’t want to have things removed if you can avoid it but there are performance benefits this is one of the big things we learned if you like me are playing your summer golf in a place that is regularly above 95° regularly regularly above 90% humidity which means you are drinking a water bottle every other hole you are not peeing at all during the round here’s the deal if you put sunscreen on you reapply multiple times it retains some of that hydration and it increases your performance because you’re staying hydrated you’re not just sweating it all out that to me was like a huge light bul moment like not only am I pres preventing skin cancer I am theoretically playing better golf because my body is tuned a little bit better better by way of putting on WE SPF you you need something to negate the Miller lights as well that’s dehydrating you as well so might as well just go for some extra sunscreen every four holes so I I’m they don’t they don’t put transfusions in a spray bottle yet but we can work on that maybe we can talk to where SPF the transfusion light purple can transfusion go for that sunscreen bottle but yeah man uh Justin’s uh we’re going to hopefully have him him on here to kind of tell a little bit more of his story uh down the line but uh we got we got a ton of information about Sun sunare Sun products from wspf that we’re going to be giving to you guys over the coming weeks uh that I’m sure a lot of you guys are going to be learn a lot about it because I sure have in the last couple weeks and you have lots of options all right you have sticks you have lip balms you have mineral you have chemical you have sprayon here’s what you can do if you go to wf.com and you use the code Smiley that’s SM y l e50 so SMY l50 you can buy one and get the second one half off on any one product and here’s why this is a great play because again I I like to have skincare products at home but also there are times where I’m jetting out the door I’m leaving the wife and kids and the dogs behind I’m trying to get out quickly I don’t have time to put the sunscreen on at home so I go I go to my locker and open that up throw the throw the the spikes on not the spikes nobody wear spikes anymore but throw the cleats on and I put my sunscreen on so a little buy one get one save a little bit of money have Suns car in two different spots and increase your performance on the golf course I don’t think it gets any better than that smiley I I keep one in my car and one in my golf bag because at some point one always runs out it’s always nice to have that that second option and I’m definitely going to be forwarding this code to a lot of players I play with because everybody always ends up barring my sunscreen so if you’re a sunscreen mucher this is this is the code for you you have an opportunity to kind of load up on your stock thanks to where SPF that’s a that’s a great point if you’re the sunscreen guy you get the second bottle half off that’s the mooch bottle you just keep that one around you toss that to your buddies all right get to take it away but buy your own next time so so there you have it it’s SM y l i e50 Smiley 50 that’s the code for buy one get one uh and thrilled to have where SBF partnered with the show uh and so we will do a little nice natural segue from that into a guy who has been red hot probably applying sunscreen in the process for the past month your conversation with Luke Clinton it looks like you have some additional thoughts you want well I I I just wanted to say that that 60% of division one golfers don’t put on sunscreen so we’re about to talk to a division one golfer and I imagine with how hot he has been that he’s definitely lacing up with plenty of sunscreen with how hot his play has been yeah it it’s like you know me with the with the putter you know sometimes like it’s you got to wear the oven mitts to get it on the Luke’s been red hot he’s need to app a lot of sunscreen just to keep himself cooled down a little bit so uh big thanks to wef and uh let’s get right to your conversation with luk Clan all right welcome back to another episode of the Smiley Show thrilled to have Luke clandon joining us here for this episode and Luke your a household name now man everybody knows who you are Amer just finished top 10 the last two weeks the first Amer to do that since 1958 finishing 10th at the Rock and Mortage and we saw you last week at the John Deere finishing second and we can’t forget about the US Open well making the cut as an Amer had a great battle with Neil Shipley that we’re going to get into as well in this episode but Luke you’re playing this week in Kentucky and now the Isco Championship used to be the barbasol are you just like absolutely worn out right now yeah I mean it’s it’s been um it’s been awesome I think that’s the biggest thing for me I think the journey I’ve been on and kind of actually understanding the ropes of Tour golf in a way is pretty cool um I’m really not used to going to an airport and picking up a car this easily it’s usually go through car and all that and no but it’s been it’s been freaking awesome I mean just uh the people are great I mean this support’s been unbelievable and you know me and my caddy Jason been traveling together and it’s been it’s just been awesome yeah it was impressive golf man and just really I can’t imagine that you have too many doubts in your game right now from just looking at your statistics how many birdies you’re making your stroke game numbers are are just absurd I mean rocket mortgage you were second off the te John Deere last week you were second in approach to the green so your game obviously you have to be confident where you’re at this week going to Kentucky knowing that hey your stuff’s holding up against the best players in the world yeah it’s again it’s just been good um it’s kind of funny I mean I kind of had a little bit of a swing thought that’s a little little crazy it’s like actually kind of feel like Scotty going through the ball a little bit kind of Smo hands oh welcome right here too I’m trying I’m trying the shuffle yeah it’s been it’s been awesome so I’ve been able to kind of feel it a little bit more and and not get so cool with everything um my coach je Jeff lean has been such a big help with that just kind of making me Dum the game down as much as I can and and realize that my game is good enough to go out and compete with these guys and you know again like I didn’t really think that going into this whole you know stretch of golf because again I was an amateur and I’m still kind of learning everything and now actually kind of prove myself that I can be in contention and actually may be able to win one is is pretty cool it’s got to be it’s got to be very exciting and you’re a player that Florida State just having an absolute breakout year your sophomore year uh at Florida State your freshman year just looking at your scoring average differentials I I was I’m always curious to see how players make a jump from their freshman year to sophomore year A lot of times you start to see players like yourself who’s highly talented coming out of junior golf be able to kind of really get it going and we’ve seen it in your second year you had 10 top 10 of your sophomore year and and looking at your scoring averages though in your freshman year 71.4 n and your sophomore year 69.3 three which is the lowest scoring average in Ford State history and if you know about anything about fora State Golf there’s been plenty of great players that come out of Daniel Burger Brooks kka now Luke Clanton to be the next in line so let’s talk a little bit about Florida State and your first couple years in college yeah Florida state was definitely the perfect choice for me I think I was I was a little hectic going into college I didn’t really have a a great game plan setep for me I guess you say and you know Trey Jones was a massive help to that for me is kind of giving me a little bit more strict on certain things and making sure that I’m actually productive practice and not just going out and balls and all these kind of things and you know I think from freshman year fall probably to right the beginning of Spring is when I was kind of just learning the ropes of everything um I think people don’t realize how hard it is that transition into college and you know postseason a freshman year was just unbelievable it was just a blasting with the boys and actually having that kind of experience with Brothers basically and then you know sophomore year turned out to be pretty cool pretty great you know like um good golf came along but again I think just the practices we’ve done I think all the training we’ve done in the gym off the golf course all these things I think it’s led me to have that kind of strong mentality when I’m out there in confidence like you know that I can do it and I think Trey Jon’s done a great job with that and your sophomore year the also the first forto state golfer to ever win three consecutive events so you’ve had quite the year man I I imagine that the hole looks pretty big the fairways look big and that the center of the club face it just keeps getting bigger and bigger but your you know that your freshman year uh what you what would you say besides um just getting a little stronger and work ethic what part of your game do you think develop the most from one year to the next this one’s funny it’s definitely driving for sure I was I was a terrible driver with the golf ball I mean not good a freshman year and I remember I I looked at my stats I think is the end of fall I was averaging like 45% fa I was like this is got to stop yeah this is gotop talking to the right guy you’re talking to the right guy bomb and gou go figure it out just just go figure it out in the trees that’s basically my game was and I looked at Trey and I was like man I just really need to figure this out and you know I kind of got this low squeeze cut and I started to CAU and more and started figuring out certain shots and man I mean I think my sophomore year of spring I averaged like 82% 83% Fairways which was like oh yeah like I was I was H what’s your ball speed average around 180 to 182 so yeah it’s it was it was definitely comfortable to hit driver more than ever and I think kind of having that confidence leads into your whole game because I mean the more you hit drivers the more Fairway the more wedges you’re going to have more opportunities you’re going to make birdie and all these kind of things and that’s why I think you know coming out tour you know playing these couple events it’s like like the rocket mortgage if you drove it well you’re gonna have a lot of opportunities same thing with John Deere I think like those kind of you know opportunities that have been given in the Fairway from wedges from 100 yards 160 yards it’s like a big opportunity you know look there’s been a lot of conversations about just where the game is as far as the technology and how far the golf ball is going and really just when I think about someone like you and and even Michael Thor bjornson who had a fantastic week as well who’s a very long player in his own right you know you guys grew up with all of this great technology you grew up with all of you know these these in instruction that that is helpful as far as being able to learn how to hit the ball further and as you grew up as a kid was it always just go hit it as far as you can and go figure it out from there actually no my dad my dad coached me until I was 16 years old and funny enough even when we play tournaments and stuff I would actually really never go to the range much um he stick me out on this short course that was artificial greens so remember like it was yesterday and it was like kind of rough patch I his public golf course and he would stick me out from 50 to 80 yards with a shag of balls and we would have to hit the green and keep it and I remember that green was bouncing and you’re bouncing over the green every single time you hit it because it’s artificial and you know he we did that for weeks and weeks and weeks and we would go to Range maybe once or twice a week and you know as a young kid I wanted to go H drivers and bomb it as hard as I can but you know he was very strict to me on that and I think that’s what kind of led me to be where I’m at out in general I think just to kind of have that feel and understanding that the game’s not all about powering the golf ball as much I think it’s a little misunderstood because I know guys are hitting it further now but again I still think you have to have that feel if you don’t have that feel around the greens you know making a couple par saves here and there like there’s so many things to golf that just is is incredible so I think a big help to that was kind of learning young how to hit a ledge oh totally and and that I’m not I’m not going to put you in the bomb and gouge category but learning how to use a wedge and having touch because if you’re somebody that hits it far which by the way was that something that was always something that was um uh a superpower of yours to say that you’ve always had speed or have you developed speed over time I I developed speed for sure I like I went through this whole uh Bryan B phase I was like 15 16 yeah I I was I was inspired for sure by him I I saw him doing doing all the long drive stuff and I think it was during the co year and I was like pumping in the gym as much as I could trying to swing as fast as I could and I remember I got up to pretty pretty high ball speed numbers and Club speed but that’s when accuracy kind of went out the door you know and that’s when it went South quickly but having that training and now kind of you going at 70 80% it’s I can average at 180 which is really nice because I can hit it out to about 300 310 and it’s it’s a little easier than swinging full blast all right we got to dive a little bit more into the Meathead luk Clanton phase how early were we waking up how much weight were we pushing how many protein shakes were we having give it give it all to me I want to know dude it was a ton of caffeine for sure it was it was a lot of caffeine a lot of protein shakes a lot of simulators it was it was fun because I know all my buddies you know we would go we wake up early work out and then we Sim probably 5 a.m. go out for a couple hours go basically tear the body up as as we could and then literally St the range drop balls and hit as hard as we can for about an hour and just try to train as fast as we could and it was like you know it was good for sure to be where I’m at now but in the moment it was crazy you know just a bunch of bunch of idiots basically trying to hit as hard as we could but you know I think again I think it led me to where I’m at now being able ble to kind of hit it you know if I want to hit it hard I can actually still Square it up which is which is pretty sweet easy speed now but I I do what is your uh like to hit it really far if somebody’s listening to this besides just the training what is something that your body and your hands have to do to be able to generate those high ball speeds and Club Ed speeds which I want to know too what was the highest you ever got on both of those metrics so the highest Club speed ever gotten with the 45 in driver I’ll just say stock was I think it was 129.95 ball speed 195 ball speed so why C the caffeine just gets you just like ready to rage loud music yeah just hard rock just everything you can imagine just ready to ready to roll but no it was it’s just a bunch of timing as well I think with the golf swing I think people like try to force it as much as they can to get it further but it’s actually not that at all it’s kind of loading the body squat in the shot you know it’s there’s a lot of technique to it and I learning it like at a younger age listening to Bryson what he was talking about even though people thought he was kind of crazy for trying to hit as far as he could I mean it it kind of made sense cuz you know what he did and now what he’s doing now I mean he HS at 340 and it’s looks pretty easy to know like it’s that’s that’s the kind of difference that a lot of people don’t realize oh it’s a it’s a tremendous advantage and it’s uh from watching Bryson up close in person with the US Open it I I I I had a hard time believing anybody else could really compete with him based on the drives that he was hitting so you make valid points then I watch R on Sunday and he hit it very similar as well yeah uh which you which you were at that US Open let’s let’s get into uh the US open at Pinehurst where you qualified still as an amiter uh just almost won the uh the low Amer had a great battle you and Neil Shipley were paired together on Sunday what were the odds of that there was a tournament within a tournament and especially uh between you two yeah it was it was incredible I mean again like Neil shiffley is one heck of a player I mean he’s um he’s had one heck of an amateur career you know and for him to win Lam at the Masters and L US Open is pretty nuts I don’t think many people ever can say that and you know it was it was heck of a battle for sure and you know I know we both wanted it so bad when we were out there and it was it was a good competition no doubt about it we were having a blast and you know I think now he’s turning PR and he’s he’s been doing actually pretty well in in his pro career so far and like again he’s he’s a genius often on the golf course like guy’s brilliant smart I talked to him a few times and I was like I could never do what you doing in school it’s unbelievable what he talks about but you know he’s just a good dude in general as well I mean he deserves everything he’s getting for sure and you know I mean to be at the US Open and to have a tournament within a tournament like you said was was awesome I mean the people were incredible it was the crowds were nuts I’ve never heard crowds like that ever in my life before and yeah it was awesome yeah that 18 told you you were kind of over there right in the trees and you had this beautiful high looking cut shot and you about you about hold it out and then it looked like a putt on 18 where it just didn’t quite break and at that point it’s like your mind’s probably mush at that point right dude I I mean I tried to make that part so bad I hammered it and then right when I missed it I was like oh I got a six-footer coming back from par now and I was like geez it didn’t matter at that point I was like I was like just get in the hole please let’s get out of here man oh man so I guess one of the things I want to ask you about so you uh in college I mean fora State freshman sophomore year you both you make it into match play both those years uh you lost in the semis you lost in the finals and you have an Amer you know you’re still an Amer haven’t turned Pro so for you like is the motivation right now where you’re at in your game is it you know just continuing to try to push to to you know whether it’s winning this week and on the PGA tour uh or are you still very motivated to go win a National Title yall were just knocking down the doorsteps uh at 4 to State you have two really good options yeah I think I think I think it’s both honestly I think you know my mindset I want to win a National Championship fla State you know I think that’s like a goal of mine that as soon as I walked into college I wanted to do and we gave ourselves great opportunities last years I mean it’s been one heck of a ride for sure so far and I’m still just becoming a junior and you know again if if I go on and win this week or win 3M whatever it is like you know I’ll see when it happens because I again I’m 20 years old it’s hard to really make any decisions right now I’m still playing video games every night and chill and so it’s like you know it’s it’s one of those things where you know my mindset right now is with with Florida State you know just to win a National Champion Championship with them again you get you know two years on tour all these things it’s like it’s it’s kind of here and there you know it’s hard to decide once you get out on the PGA tour and you experience a couple weeks in a row and you go to US Open it’s man it’s hard not to picture yourself wanting to do that every single week and I I can’t imagine going back to class and going back to school once I experience anything like the PGA Tour you’re just like man this is what I’m born and this is what I’ve dreamt of doing my whole life so I imagine that it’s like you’re kind of conflicted you just want to play the best you can can I imagine exactly yeah that’s exactly what it is I just don’t want to go to a math class man that’s brutal wait what uh what video games we got to ask you that because that for somebody who’s a retired I’m a retired gamer no dude you name and I play honestly Call of Duty everything you can imagine I mean gosh dude I played every game and I still play every game we I’ve been actually playing I’m gonna get into OverWatch pretty soon here I’ve never played OverWatch I don’t know if you have but I don’t even know what OverWatch is that’s how out of it I am now I guess yeah I just found out about it a couple days ago so I’m gonna get into that but it’s been big 2K guy big Madden guy like all those games so it’s been it’s fun man because I love I love bringing the Xbox on trips and just having a blast after the round so it’s cool I’m excited for the college football game to come out not only just to play with like LSU but to play with Eastern Kentucky and build a Dynasty uh it’s it’s if you never did that as a kid with akan or whoever it might be uh it’s that’s I love NCA football I’m so happy they’re bringing it back yeah I’m pumped dude I’m I’m that’s the first thing I’m getting when it comes out dude I’m so pumped at that game all right we’re going to have to get the stream guard up we’re going to have to do a little for toate LSU battle because y’all taken our number the last couple years for the State winning uh in the opening game two years in a rail yard just taking my hearts from me yeah you definitely are um all right so uh just one little followup question on the US Open uh I my first professional start was at at Piner for the open and the week I didn’t make the cut but I want to ask you this because in the practice rounds on Monday Tuesday and Wednesday playing with whoever it was uh highlevel PGA Tour guys I’m not sure who you played with but there were certain guys that I played with after finishing the practice rounds I and seeing their golf balls in the air and how they practice and in what my golf ball looked like compared to theirs and being able to kind of play that compar a contrast game did you find yourself after your practice rounds playing with whoever you played with feeling more confident about your game and just your career as you uh look forward yeah I mean I was able to play with some pretty cool dudes I played with Scotty on Tuesday I play with Brooks and I play with web so you know it was pretty pretty pretty cool for sure I mean kind of nerve-wracking right yeah I I practice F on Tuesday there was like thousands of people watching us with Scotty and I was like this is unreal I was like this I’m more nervous during this than anything so but it was it was incredible I mean watching him play golf you know he’s a big role model of mine of course the way his faith is based and the way he plays golf and you know I asked him a bunch of questions I true it is you’re off the whole entire round basically yeah as you should yeah I mean it’s just it’s just cool you know like kind of seeing in person and seeing what he does and how his feet slide and all these things like I mean he he is one heck of a player but he’s also one amazing person that’s what I realized he’s not some dude that is just great at golf he’s also a really good person and you know he re he surpassed every expectation I had of him as a person and the way that Ted Scott was with him as well all those guys it kind of gave me uh you know realizing that golf is not everything you know it’s it’s just a game when it comes down to it and realizing that we’re able to play you know week by week and go travel places and play more Golf and you know it’s just it’s just freaking awesome man I mean playing with Brooks as well like his when he walks around you can just tell that this dude is good like yeah I remember I was walking next to him and I’m like dude like I just don’t feel like I should be walking next to you right now this is crazy it’s like you know it’s just unbelievable like all those dudes were just super nice and super helpful with everything and Brooks was texting me before the Rock in mortgage as well like you know they’re they’re just very supportive to everything and it’s been it’s just been awesome because they’ve just been there for me and helping me out through everything because again I’m still learning how to travel these places and get my freaking passes for the week and stuff so it’s like you know it’s it’s cool did you pick up anything from their games just certain shots that they hit that you’re trying to maybe incorporate into your game yeah they’re wedges their wedges are just so good man like it’s unreal I mean they can land in certain spots within a yard and I remember at Pinehurst of course like you can’t you can’t really miss a golf shot out there you know it’s like tabl toop so I remember on the first hole and like Scotty hits this like little pitching wedge just just feathers down into the pen I’m like gosh dude that was so nice then I’m ripping a 54 degree like trying to get it up there it’s like it’s one of those things where I realize that they have so much control with their IRS um same thing with Brooks ke as well I mean flusher of the golf ball you know web sson as well he was hitting I think it’s like the seven wood to the Moon just on a line towards pins and I’m like gosh dude these guys are good like it’s incredible to watch but I think it’s also just the level of focus they have and also enjoyment of golf um you know like Brooks was so calm out there I know I know he’s been out there for a little bit and having experience and stuff and winning in previous tournaments but just the calmness of them and telling me like hey when you’re out there playing just enjoy it and be calm not to really over rush things not to try to look in the future not try to do any of these things because you can’t control it only you can control is right in front of you you know and like realizing that like it’s the truth it’s said a lot but no one really realizes that like when you’re out there playing is that you’re just trying to focus on every single golf shot and you know it’s been it’s been very helpful for sure that’s really fantastic advice from Brooks and and I can tell you this I’ve watched that feathered little wedge shot from Scotty the last couple years and these the three quarter little F shots that he can float in there are just so dirty that people have no idea how good it is no idea none it’s so gross and he could and now he could putt it you and now and he’s the underrated part of his game that nobody really talks about enough as how good of a pitcher he is too can he can spin it spin it so much from everywhere he was hitting chip shots from like screwed places out there and the practice round just nipping it to like a foot and I’m like gosh dude you got the putter out yeah I got the put whipping it off the hill trying to hit it up and it’s like he’s in this flop shot like a foot I’m like gosh dude this guy’s good oh man gosh that’s that had to be such a fun experience and playing with Scotty Brooks and then you go out and make the cut the US Open and I I I think this is a a good way to kind of transition this conversation a little bit into what we’ve kind of already talked about a little bit which is PGA Tour you got this accelerated program now with PGA Tour U and if if anybody’s followed this program it rewards good play for underclassman that if you get to enough points you get a tour card and we’ve seen it with Gordon Sergeant already but then we look at other PGA to are you program which is rewards the best seniors we saw now Davis Thompson who I believe was number one on that list a couple years back right I think so yeah think Davis Davis uh ludvig and althorne mson I believe were the three I I’m not sure how accurate that is it feels right so we’re going to roll with it but let’s talk about that with how it relates to you because I think a lot of people like myself some who follows the game closely you finish 10th at rocking mortgage you finished second at John Deere you obviously finished I think it was 41st at the US Open was that right yeah I think so yeah so you you’ve would have made up to I mean we did a little calculation you would have been right around 96th in the FedEx Cup if you were able to earn points so you’re already well inside the top 125 but how this PJ tour Oru is structured it’s very interesting to me because you know you you get a point for making a cut in a major you get a point for playing in a Tour event for making the cut and you only get a point though for a top 10 it the point system to me doesn’t really make sense because it really only rewards someone like uh who we’ve had on the podcast Jackson Ken who was uh had an incredible year uh freshman year at Auburn similar stats to you y’all both were the two best players in college golf but he swept all the awards getting three points at each one and the benchmark’s 20 so for you being the guy who probably finished second in every single one of these Awards and then not really getting to reap the benefits of extra points for playing extra well at the John Deere finishing second he only getting one point to me there’s just something missing here because I feel like you only have nine accelerated points you need 20 but I think the golf world’s like how like can we get this guy on the PGA tour right now so I just want to kind of hear your overall thoughts on all this yeah I mean again like it’s one of those things where it’s golf I mean you know it’s um I talked about it a lot with Ben my agent and and Jason my cad you know it was one of those things where me and Jackson again we had incredible years um you know as a freshman what he’s done is is pretty unbelievable I mean yeah like there’s no doubt about it I mean the kids about Golf and you know it leaned towards his way which was which was awesome for him I me he deserves it as well and you know it kind of stinks a little bit just because if I did win a couple those Awards I’d be a little bit closer to kind of getting my card but again I mean I’m I’m kind of focused on just playing good golf you know I think um that’s the only thing I can control right now as we speak is just playing the best golf I can and you know realizing that you know my golf game can take care of what I can do you know that’s it I mean you know if I go out and play great this week awesome if I don’t I don’t but again I think just over the last three weeks it’s been just one heck of an experience just to even learn these kind of you know playing in the last couple groups on PJ torbin finishing second the John Deere like these kind of things like it’s it’s shaping me up as a player to become better in the future and and understand it more and and the golf world is changing so much the Landscapes of professional golf with the live golf tour and the PGA Tour and I think the best thing that the PGA Tour has done is enable this PGA Tour you program but as everything has changed in this landscape of professional golf we’re constantly making adjustments every year on the PJ tour with Signature Events and and always kind of making it make sense and I think you’re the first person to be like wait hold on this pj2 Oru program is really great but ites make sense right now because this the point structure and how it works I I I still believe that a a a T2 at the John Deere is not one point that should be closer to five points and that to me I think if we’re learning anything from this it’s that the PGA 2u program although really uh The Accelerated thing we love it we continue to support it we also need to make sure that that if someone like you comes up we need to make sure that they’re getting rewarded for their good play so I’m I’m standing on the hill for you you don’t need to say a word because guess what I mean you you’re making money long term for not uh having being a professional and being an Amer you know Turning Away close to probably a million dollars but you’re going to make it so much more in your career that uh it’s it’s it’s got to be tough though right you got to be like I wish I’d hit the account you know yeah it it was because me my Cy talked about it he he kind of joked around me he’s like before the US Open we had we knew he had some exemptions and he’s like he made a bet with me saying I’m gonna make $2.2 Million by the finish of all my tournaments I was like you’re crazy dude and I think we’ve reached like just under a million dollars already and I’m I’m looking at him and I’m like dang dude like this is crazy you know like but again we we finished up the tournament and we literally looked at the the STS for how much money you make and it shows a big fat zero next to my name we were just laughing cuz it to me it’s like it’s so funny that I’m able to even play with these guys and do these things and like everyone’s telling me Oh you should have got all that money and all that I’m like I’m playing golf to play golf like yeah I’m it’s a blessing just to be even out there playing like people don’t realize that I’m still 20 years old as an amateur playing golf like yeah I competed really well last week it was awesome but you know I’m not not not a pro yet I’m not even close to that so you know we’re going to see what happens and just keep going with it yeah and you as an amiter you get seven sponsors exemptions uh to your disposal you got one at the rocking mortgage which I assumed that since you finished 10th at the rocking mortgage that got you into the next week at the John Deere actually another thing that we learned is that an amateur does not get the benefit of that top 10 to the following week so you have to burn through the exemptions and all this that’s another sticking point that I’m like hey if somebody top 10 in event they should get into the event no matter who it is I think Nick Dunlap winning at the MX this year Thor Thor Bon is a it’s a tongue twister I say it every time playing well last week as well and then yourself going and do it two weeks in a row I just think that that’s another one that we can revisit and say hey these if we’re gonna have these players com and play in the summer coming from college let’s give them that opportunity uh to not have to burn through their sponsors exemptions and if they if they play well based off Merit let’s get them to the next week that would be great no doubt about it but again it’s just unfortunate I think we’re I think everyone’s still trying to learn the game um you know I think gosh dude we have so many good college players people don’t realize it that this generation is going to be insane at golf I mean it’s so hard to win in college and people don’t realize that like ludvig and Michael doron Christ L all these dudes like are incredible like people don’t people don’t see it yet but in within a year or two they will and it’s like you know I think we’re still trying to learn the the RS a little bit with everything and the exemptions and all this stuff but again you know like you said like it’d be great to get into next week with top 10 but again they’re just I think everyone’s still trying to learn you know I think that’s that’s just how it is I don’t think they really expect did too many amateurs to kind of I guess do that we got to keep revisiting we got to keep changing because the golf we’re changing as we go we’ll see you know it’s one of those things where I think I think we’re all still learning so my okay last complaint this is my third gripe in a row and and this one goes for the Open Championship you finish T2 and and we didn’t really know how it was going to be deter deted on who was going to be the player that got to go between you and CT pan turned out it was a world ranking based decision and CT pan gets to go instead of you that’s another frustrating one to talk about and if I can make any suggestion it’s that there should have been a chip off on the 18th hole like any member guest you and CT pan in front of the Laney Wilson crowd and just a chip off I would have absolutely loved that that would have been a blast no doubt about it I think we should have done it from the Jordan bunker on the right side downhill oh go that would have been perfect no but I didn’t I I’ll be honest I didn’t even realize this is this is how out of it I was I didn’t realize I could play for the open so when I when I walked off the golf course and I was in like second place or whatever um like one of the interview people came out to me like oh you might be in Open championship and I was like what I was like I don’t even have my passport I don’t have anything I was like I oh God know about that so you know again like it’s it’s again I think we’re all just still learning to the ropes and I think you know of course CT pan is an incredible player as well I think he deserves it as as much as anyone else so you know I think me and Michael both finished second as well you know it was one of those things where you know it’s just again like it’s just it’s just golf it’s just going to happen to certain people and maybe I’ve got a few unlucky breaks but again just keep playing the golf and see what happens well I’m looking forward to watching you play this week uh at the Isco championship in Kentucky another uh shootout type of event have you ever played the golf course in Keelan I have not no I’m playing tomorrow so pretty pumped good for you you got a practice round set up I do yes sir 9: a.m ready to roll what’s the play nine holes with my caddy probably do little over under bet on what I’m going to shoot on the nine there you go probably practice a little bit and then I’ve been doing a coal plunge dude every single day and that stuff is nut yeah I I request I I’ll tell everyone to do that because that stuff’s incredible I don’t think people realize how good that stuff is yeah how how from your first impressions of being on tour for two weeks in a row just getting a courtesy car and having the rehab facilities the workout room I mean just kind of let us know what exactly that experience has been like dude so at the US Open I didn’t even realize that there was spots for it so I was just doing my own thing like I was doing my own in my own room and then at the rocket I was like man dude I would love like to get some like therapy done or whatever on my legs and I walk in there and I was so shy and scared and I was like Hey guys like you know I’m a player I’m just an amateur and they’re they’re all welcoming and I’ve been in every single day now since like I think probably Wednesday at the rocket so they all they all know me pretty well now and it’s like it’s just funny I mean like I was so scared walking in there just you for anything so it’s like it’s just funny I’m still learning at man yeah like even from like dining to being in the workout facilities rehab facilities at the same are there any players that you in there at the same time that you’re like man I just want to just talk to this person pick their brain or or any good stories that that you can recall from that uh from those experiences yeah I think the best one was Aran Roy um I’m I’m a pretty big fan of him and I remember I walk into like the gym and I see him and I’m like damn dude like just don’t be an idiot don’t don’t feel like stupid here don’t don’t fall off the med medicine ball whatever it is and he started toing me he was like the nicest dude in the world just super welcoming and he was like Hey man if you’re ever down this place let’s play together and he actually texted me after the John Deere and was like incredible playing like it’s it’s crazy to think like these guys like even know my name you know it’s it’s awesome you know like it’s I’m still like a little kid watching these guys play golf like even at the John Deere when I did the you know the walkin talk with him like I was literally pinching myself man because I was like this is like watch yeah I was like Ro does this all these guys do it and I’m doing it and I’m like gosh dude it’s just it’s just incredible like I’m playing golf right now talking to these guys like it was awesome well man keep on making birdies this none of this is a surprise to me and this is my favorite part of my job now is I get to watch guys like you at a younger level I I watched you for three or four years now and I’ve seen your name and I knew this guy’s G be an absolute stud uh so none of this has been a shock to me I’m so happy to see you have so much early success great year at Florida State and just continue on to a great summer and after this week of the Isco Championship where can we see you after that so I get one week off and then I’m going to the 3M as well so yeah I’ll be going there and then USM and then back to back to class so pretty pretty excited and back to class wow there it is all right well Luke get some must needed rest have a great week uh in Keenan Kentucky and I guess uh go nolles uh I’ll give the g g Au ux nolles how about that that’s fair I’ll take that all right buddy play well this week thanks again thank you you know I listen to this podcast it’s really cool all fans and subscribers but make sure you like And subscribe it’s cool to see what you guys are doing I know golf fans appreciate it but we we do too so please keep it up for all the good people YouTube like And subscribe you guys have some good takes so I’m happy to come on and and shoot the