(KBSI) — South Fulton High School has announced the hiring of Cole Clanton as its new head football coach Clanton brings 14 years of coaching experience to the Red Devils He is a 2005 graduate of Obion County Central High School and played football at Bethel University Clanton most recently served as offensive coordinator at Union City High School He has also coached at McKenzie High School “I’m extremely honored to lead and serve the Red Devil program,” Clanton said “Coaching is about building relationships and forming bonds that last a lifetime.” live in Obion County with their three children © 2025 KBSI FOX23 News Cape Girardeau News | Paducah News Scheffler held off a rally attempt from Jordan Spieth and outstanding performances from several other players to hold onto a lead that he took early on during the event and never looked back from.  the PGA kept the news update train rolling as they shared information on a new venture involving tour stars Jordan Spieth and Luke Clanton.  Luke Clanton takes a swing at the Valspar Championship in Palm Harbor The Tour announced the organization is launching its first weekly show originating from PGA Tour Studios ET on the GOLF Channel and on the PGA Tour YouTube and FAST Channels.  The first episode of the half-hour show will include rising star Luke Clanton, who recently punched his ticket to the PGA Tour after starring at Florida State University and making the cut at the Cognizant Classic as an amateur this past winter.  The show will feature Clanton visiting the PGA Tour Headquarters in Ponte Vedra Beach Clanton will be joined by 13-time PGA Tour winner Jordan Spieth as he prepares for the Truist Championship this weekend at the Philadelphia Cricket Club.  Clanton is expected to make his first start as a PGA Tour professional at the RBC Canadian Open from June 4-8 in Toronto Clanton Named to Haskins Postseason Watch List4/30/2025 10:54:00 AM | Men's Golf You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser or activate Google Chrome Frame to improve your experience the Clanton City Council and department directors all joined together on May 1 to give updates on the state of the city that included updates on the financial status of the city Economic development and giving updates on the financial status of the city were arguably the biggest talking points of the meeting Mims assured the city is continuously looking for ways to make sales tax revenue go up by getting people to come to the city and new businesses coming to town “More than 15 new businesses have been established in the City of Clanton during the past four years,” Mims said “We are currently in discussions with several national brands and retailers for locations within the City of Clanton We cannot tell who they are because of non-disclosures but it will bring a lot of tax revenue to the city of Clanton.” Clanton City Councilman Billy Singleton gave a deeper look into the good financial status the city is in with statistics that showed things like the annual budget almost doubling over the last four plus years to nearly $23 million This allows the city to invest monies in other areas like reserve fund balances that are generating interest revenue that have purchased things like an additional city ambulance that has lowered the response time to around eight minutes Additional statistics Singleton provided included the city receiving more than $20 million in federal state and local grants to make improvements around the city — nearly equal to a yearly budget for the city The city is poised to retire the bond obligation that helped build the Clanton Performing Arts Center next year “We contacted an unbiased bond company and asked ‘How do we stack up and compare with other cities?’” Singleton said “The city currently has an unassigned general fund balance equal to 60% of our annual operating revenue and that means we could operate for nearly seven months with no money coming in.” a rendering was shown of what could be possible with the land the city has near Exit 212 that sprawls hundreds of acres The land was originally purchased in conjunction with the county for the purpose of economic development nearly 10 years ago but the city is now exploring opportunities to partner with companies to help make the Clanton Recreation and Entertainment Complex a reality The rendering of the complex included an amphitheater a 24-hour recreation and events center and extra land for future development around the complex Mims reaffirmed the plans are very preliminary but it is major goal for the city to get it done “After we get (the Performing Arts Center) paid off … This will give something for everyone to work towards and something we want to try to do,” Mims said “We do not try a lot of stuff and not get it done Other areas of interest where updates were given during the meeting included public safety A dramatic downturn in crime within the City of Clanton has happened over the last four plus years with the crime rate down 50% from 2020-2025 the city had put a full-time staff at the downtown fire station 208 and 212 on Interstate 65 and installed speed bumps signage and better lighting to Interstate 65 and Highways 31 and 145 Mims reaffirmed the plans to build a new judicial center for the city that will house the police department and courtrooms The plans are for the city to tear down the current Chilton County Courthouse which was given to them by the county in an exchange for land to build the new courthouse and build the new judicial center in its spot — around a $15 million project The city’s Public Works and Utilities Department has shown growth as well Public Works Director Jeff Zissette has helped expand garbage pickup for the city to two times per week and invested more than $2 million in resurfacing downtown streets in Clanton Utilities Department Director Stanley Higgins and his department have gotten right around $15 million in principle forgiveness grants that went directly towards infrastructure improvements Plans were also shared to soon repaint the iconic Peach Tower each budget the city has set aside $100,000 to go towards the repainting but with rising costs and finding a painter “We will have the money to paint that water tank and we expect to do that within the next 24-36 months,” Mims said Parks and recreation were showcased with the new additions to the city parks like new batting cages Other improvements are being planned for the future such as coverage for the pickleball courts lighting for the walking trails and establishing a mountain bike trail off Temple Road The biggest piece of information Mims dropped related to parks and recreation was plans for a new Clanton Senior Center near Goose Pond Park by the old water works building “We already have an architect working on it and we are meeting with our seniors to have all of the say they can put into it,” Mims said “We want to make sure we build it the way they want it done.” education in the city was discussed that reaffirmed the plans for a new vocational school for the county’s students that both the city and Chilton County Schools are working towards Mims also entertained questions about the possibilities of establishing a city school system and he was not keen on the idea for Clanton at the moment but left the option open in the future “These are the things we are trying to do for the people in the City of Clanton,” Mims said and we are going to continue to improve all of that.” The City of Clanton will meet again for its first council meeting of May on May 12 at 5 p.m The Memphis Grizzlies (38-22) take on the Atlanta Hawks (27-33) as 8.5-point favorites on Monday the Brooklyn Nets (21-39) take on the Atlanta Hawks (27-33) at 6 p.m.… The Tampa Bay Lightning versus the Florida Panthers is a game to catch on a Monday NHL slate… The Wake Forest Demon Deacons versus the Duke Blue Devils is one of two games on the college… There are several strong matchups on Monday in AAC hoops including the Wichita State Shockers taking on the… Search autocomplete is currently not responding Phone:  (757) 664-4268Email Carlos J. ClantonCurrent Term:  January 1 Carlos Clanton was elected to the Norfolk City Council beginning January 1 to represent the residents of Super Ward 7 Clanton was nurtured in the communities of Lambert's Point and Park Place he was poised to walk in a leadership role at an early age Carlos developed a strong sense of resilience which fueled his desire to be an agent of change This commitment has established him as a trusted voice for the citizens of Norfolk and beyond After graduating from Maury High School (Go Commodores!) Councilman Clanton earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Training with a Minor in Leadership from Old Dominion University and is currently completing a Master of Public Administration (MPA) He also holds a certificate in Nonprofit Management from Tidewater Community College’s Academy of Excellence reflecting his dedication to continuous learning and leadership development Prior to his appointment to the Norfolk City Council Councilman Clanton made history as the youngest appointed and first African American Director for the Norfolk Division of the Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce This important role allowed him partner with integral stakeholders across the region and allowed him to advocate for the growth of local businesses and regional economic development His diverse leadership experience extended into the field of education and was elected to serve on the Norfolk School Board in 2018 and later as Board Chair and Vice Board Chair he worked with community stakeholders to improve educational standards and outcomes for every student in the City of Norfolk Clanton’s passion for change has led him to serve in key roles on various boards and commissions on local He has served as President of the National Urban League of Young Professionals Regional Board Chair for the Virginia Governor's School for the Arts served on the Board of Directors for Southeastern Cooperative Educational Programs (SECEP) until December 2024 He currently serves on the Board of Directors for VisitNorfolk the Advisory Board for the Tidewater Council of the Boy Scouts of America Brown Legacy Education Fund and serves as a vocalist with the Virginia Opera for 35 years Councilman Clanton is a proud member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity and has served as a National Trustee for the organization He also is an active member of New Calvary Baptist Church Councilman Clanton believes in the power of service and collaboration to bring meaningful change “Leadership is not about a title or position; it’s about listening and empowering others to reach their full potential.” and intentional engagement will work to make Super Ward 7 and Norfolk the best city to live Phone: 757-664-6510 Falling tree limbs in Birmingham kills one person (WBMA) — The city of Clanton announced construction for its new splash pad has begun The city said the project was funded by grant dollars and is projected to open in late spring "This wonderful project and will be a wonderful addition to our community." The putt scooted past the hole on the high side and Clanton stood with his hands on his head.  While all of Clanton’s 141 shots at TPC Scottsdale count the same an eagle putt on the par-5 15th hole is probably the one that might take multiple trips around Clanton’s head as he flies back to Tallahassee The putt hung on the lip tantalizingly close to dripping over the edge An easy birdie on the 17th left Clanton with what any golfer really wants: a chance. “I don't think I've ever dealt with pressure like that before so I'm learning every single week,” he said.It wasn’t Clanton’s time and he’ll have a few more bites at the apple to earn his PGA Tour card on the course The Valspar Championship on March 20 is likely his next PGA Tour invite.“I kind of kept trying to tell myself my identity is not going to change my mind,” Clanton said after the second round It's not going to go your way all the time.” Clanton is currently ranked No. 1 in the Golfweek/AmateurGolf.com World Rankings Florida State junior Luke Clanton is on the cusp of earning his PGA Tour this week at the Waste Management in Scottsdale He'll tee off at 9:53 on Thursday with Nick Dunlap and Justin Thomas Clanton has collected 18 points in the PGA Tour U Accelerated program for his performances in amateur and professional events.  Clanton will earn his 19th point before he even tees it up in Arizona because he has been the top-ranked amateur in the WAGR for 26 weeks That one point means if Clanton makes the cut at Waste Management It would make him the second player to earn his PGA Tour card through the accelerated route; Gorgon Sargent who is finishing his senior year at Vanderbilt earned his card in October 2023 as a Junior Auburn sophomore Jackson Koivun also has 18 points and seems poised to earn his PGA Tour card He recorded four top-ten finishes in ten PGA Tour events including runner-ups in the John Deere and the RSM Classic He has missed as many cuts (2) as he has had runner-up finishes.  there is the possibility that Clanton misses the cut and remains at 19 points It seems he will have multiple chances at earning that final point either through another PGA Tour event or if he plays well for Florida State and earns a top ten in the NCAA Championship or wins the Haskins There is a bit of time pressure on Clanton; if he doesn't secure the 20th point before the end of the NCAA season in May he will be tossed into the PGA Tour U program for his senior year and those points he's earned will transfer into that new race for a PGA Tour card Home  |  Tournaments  |  Courses  |  Equipment  |  Players  |  Rankings  |  About Us  |  Contact .css-s4id4f{font-family:Suisse Intl,"Helvetica Neue",Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:1.9rem;line-height:2.2rem;font-weight:600;letter-spacing:-0.01em;}Official Money Luke Clanton holes out from bunker for birdie at Cognizant Classic became the second player to earn PGA TOUR membership via PGA TOUR University Accelerated on Friday as the 21-year-old secured TOURBound status through a made cut at the Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches to reach the 20-point threshold in PGA TOUR University Accelerated Following the conclusion of stroke play at the 2025 NCAA D-I National Championship (May 23-26) Clanton will become eligible to accept PGA TOUR membership upon turning professional If he turns pro after the conclusion of his junior season Full-Field Events for the remainder of the 2025 season and he also would be a PGA TOUR member for the 2026 season (subject to reshuffles) he would be eligible to accept membership upon the conclusion of his senior season after the 2026 NCAA Championship Clanton’s rapid ascent began with a dominant run on the collegiate circuit as the then-sophomore captured a breakthrough victory at the Seminole Intercollegiate in March 2024 capturing titles at the Valspar Collegiate Invitational and the Lewis Chitengwa Memorial closing the regular season with three consecutive wins and cementing his place in Florida State history as the first Seminole to achieve the feat Following a runner-up finish at the NCAA D-I Men’s Golf Championship Clanton made his PGA TOUR debut at the 2024 U.S where he earned his first point in PGA TOUR University Accelerated The major championship marked Clanton’s first of eight TOUR starts during the 2024 season including four top-10s and two runner-up finishes Clanton collected 17 points from June to November marking the fastest accumulation of points in the program to date In addition to earning 14 points through his play in PGA TOUR events he also earned a total of six points by achieving the No 1 ranking in the World Amateur Golf Ranking – five points for reaching the No and an additional point for holding that position for 26 weeks native clinched the requisite 20th point following a made cut in his 11th start on the PGA TOUR at the 2025 Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches and he solidified himself as the second player to earn PGA TOUR membership via PGA TOUR University Accelerated Players earn points based on their accomplishments in college If a player earns at least 20 points by the end of their third year of NCAA eligibility Vanderbilt standout Gordon Sargent was declared TOURBound in October 2023 becoming the first player to earn PGA TOUR membership via PGA TOUR University Accelerated Sargent elected to return to Vanderbilt for his senior season deferring his performance benefits from eclipsing the PGA TOUR University Accelerated 20-point threshold Sargent will have TOUR membership through the 2026 season PGA TOUR University Accelerated complements the PGA TOUR University Ranking, which annually provides the top 25 seniors with membership opportunities on PGA TOUR-affiliated tours. Clanton’s PGA TOUR University Accelerated performance benefits closely resemble those earned by the No. 1 player in the final PGA TOUR University Ranking. In May 2023, Texas Tech’s Ludvig Åberg finished atop the PGA TOUR University Ranking and became the first player to earn PGA TOUR membership via PGA TOUR University. Stanford’s Michael Thorbjornsen clinched the top spot in the PGA TOUR University Class of 2024, joining Åberg as the first two PGA TOUR University alumni to earn direct access to the PGA TOUR. Copyright © 2025 PGA TOUR, Inc. All rights reserved. and the Swinging Golfer design are registered trademarks The Korn Ferry trademark is also a registered trademark and is used in the Korn Ferry Tour logo with permission It was all fun and smiles at the 2025 Chilton County Special Olympics for special young children who got their day to shine on the athletic fields The events were held at Clanton City Park on April 24 and the athletes entered the football field in unison as each school was recognized The athletes gathered on the football field in front of a standing-room-only crowd for the opening ceremonies that passed out awards to senior students and those in the community that helped support the event Chilton County Schools Special Education Director Michelle Coppedge appreciates the crowd each year that comes out to support the athletes with a lot of planning going into the special Olympics each year the athletes were released for the Olympics to compete in games that included basketball shaved ice and photo opportunities were also a part of the morning fun for the athletes Clanton Named Ben Hogan Semifinalist4/21/2025 11:15:00 AM | Men's Golf COLLEGE CAREER AND RISING STARDOMClanton’s impressive junior career earned him a scholarship to Florida State University where he continued to hone his skills on the highly competitive college golf circuit Clanton quickly became a key player on the team contributing to several team victories and earning individual accolades along the way His consistent performances in collegiate tournaments caught the attention of the broader golf community he was ranked among the top amateur golfers in the world ASCENT TO THE TOPLike most collegiate golfers Clanton worked his way through the junior circuit But he showed a particularly high aptitude for competing at the "next level" by almost qualifying for the U.S Amateur at age 14 and achieving that dream the following year The championship was at Pinehurst that year (2019) and Clanton almost made match play But more success at the famed Pinehurst No Here's a look at Clanton's winning ways in the last three years: Luke Clanton announced himself as a force to be reckoned with on the amateur golf scene Clanton earned significant rankings points with a string of impressive victories beginning with a win at the prestigious South Beach International Amateur in Florida He followed that up with victories at the Azalea Amateur and North & South Amateur These wins were instrumental in establishing Clanton as one of the top amateurs globally His season also included qualification for both the U.S where he made it to the Quarterfinals in the latter all of this success came before Clanton even began his collegiate career at Florida State University.2023: Clanton’s College Success and Summer SurgeIn 2023 Luke Clanton continued to build on his momentum making his mark in the collegiate and amateur circuits His biggest triumph of the year came with a victory at the NCAA West Regional which earned him a significant haul of rankings points Clanton also delivered standout performances during the summer amateur season finishing third at the Northeast Amateur and fourth at the Sunnehanna Amateur his attempt to defend his title at the North & South Amateur ended in a surprising round-of-32 exit a rare stumble in an otherwise stellar year Clanton's consistent high-level play had him climbing the world rankings setting the stage for an even bigger year to come.2024: The Summer of ClantonIn 2024 Luke Clanton truly cemented his status as the world’s top amateur golfer and became a household name His performances in three PGA Tour events were nothing short of spectacular with a T2 finish at the John Deere Classic a fifth-place finish at the Wyndham Championship making him one of the most talked-about amateurs in the game While Nick Dunlap of the University of Alabama made history by becoming the first amateur to win a PGA Tour event since Phil Mickelson in 1991 Clanton’s summer was equally notable wished the R&A had exempted Clanton into the Open Championship at Troon in July.Clanton’s success wasn’t limited to professional events further showcasing his ability to compete on the biggest stages Clanton notched three victories for Florida State at the Valspar Collegiate THE MARK MCCORMACK MEDALIn recognition of his outstanding achievements and his ascent to the top of the amateur rankings Clanton was awarded the Mark McCormack Medal in 2024 named after the legendary sports agent and founder of IMG is awarded annually to the world’s No 1 ranked amateur golfer in both men’s and women’s categories Winning this prestigious honor not only solidifies Clanton’s status as the world’s best amateur golfer but also grants him exemptions into the 2025 Open Championship at Royal Portrush and the 2025 U.S two of golf’s most coveted major tournaments.WHAT'S NEXTAs Luke Clanton continues to make waves in the golfing world many are predicting a bright future for the young star With his sights set on a successful transition to the professional ranks determined to carry his amateur success into a flourishing professional career Clanton’s journey serves as an inspiration to aspiring golfers around the world reaching the pinnacle of the sport is within reach one thing is clear: Luke Clanton is a name that will be heard in golf for many years to come Luke Clanton interview after achieving PGA TOUR card at Cognizant Classic – Luke Clanton let himself briefly celebrate the momentous moment on Friday night but it was hardly a party befitting the accomplishment He locked up his PGA TOUR card in emotional fashion pouring in a birdie at the 18th hole in front of dozens of family and friends He was in contention at the Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches and he planned to “win the damn event.” His card was great following his every shot at PGA National Resort They had a fitting celebration after the second round He and his caddie grabbed Chipotle and retired for the night Clanton didn’t even look much at his TOUR card The exhale came after the final round Sunday Clanton gave a run at his first PGA TOUR title briefly jumping into a tie for second before faltering on the back nine There was some disappointment in the finish Clanton wasn’t worried about when his next start might come and what he would need to do to secure his TOUR card “I still haven't really realized it yet I guess,” Clanton said of earning his card which he secured with a made cut at PGA National get to spend some time with the family and hang out with them it'll probably hit me a little bit harder Luke Clanton reunites with family after earning TOUR card Clanton admitted the chase for his card had begun to weigh on him even if it appeared it was just a matter of time He was growing weary of all the questions from media family and fans about when it would happen He wanted to enjoy what will likely be his last semester in college before turning pro spend time with teammates and hopefully win an NCAA Championship not chase sponsor exemptions and made cuts Clanton’s rise to a card has been uniquely his He is the second player to earn his card through PGA TOUR University Accelerated But Sargent earned his card largely through collegiate accolades None of Clanton’s 20 points came directly from his collegiate performance He earned 14 of his 20 points via PGA TOUR results The other six points were earned through the World Amateur Golf Ranking Clanton has another exemption into the Valspar Championship in a few weeks “I’m so glad that we can stop talking about the point,” Clanton’s mom Rhonda told PGATOUR.COM referencing the 20-point threshold required to earn a card through PGA TOUR University Accelerated Oh, and Clanton needs to get his TOUR card back from his caddie. “Mom will definitely put it in a frame,” he said. Photo by: Jeff RomanceClanton Secures PGA TOUR Card at Cognizant2/28/2025 8:38:00 PM | Men's Golf Maplesville High School’s Kennedy Cleckley was the winner of two scholarships from the Bryant-Jordan Foundation for excelling in athletics despite being legally blind in her left eye Cleckley was one of 104 high school athletes presented with an award and scholarship at the 40th annual Bryant-Jordan Student Athlete Awards Banquet held in Birmingham The scholarship program is named in honor of the late coaches Paul “Bear” Bryant and Ralph “Shug” Jordan 52 regional scholar-athlete winners are selected for their excellence on both the athletic field and in the classroom 52 achievement winners are chosen for their ability to compete in athletics while overcoming major obstacles during their high school careers Cleckley arrived at the banquet knowing she was the winner of the Class 1A Region 4 Achievement Award that came with a $3,000 scholarship she was surprised to hear her name called as the winner of the Class 1A Achievement Award as well that is given to the overall winner of the class bringing her total to $6,500 to go towards her educational endeavors When Cleckley was two years old doctors found out she had a lazy left eye It got progressively worse to where her entire eye was in the corner of her eye socket and surgery was needed Doctors corrected her eye back into position but the procedures left Cleckley with 60-20 vision in her left eye Cleckley dealt with bullying because of her eye and sight and it helped her block out the rude comments from others I have always been a sports fan and it kept me going,” Cleckley said “But I have dealt with a lot of bullying because of it … In sports sometimes people do not get that I cannot see a certain way and it has been frustrating but it is something I have had to overcome playing the sports I do.” Cleckley quickly learned how to adapt with it on the field of play and it never bothered her too much while playing she has adapted so well that she does not think twice about it “I know I am blind and cannot see well out of that eye and I just continue everything normally,” Cleckley said She added that the adversity of being partially blind has helped build character inside her but also forced her to work harder for the things she wanted to achieve she achieved those goals by signing a volleyball scholarship to Wallace Community College Selma in March Cleckley plans to use the scholarships from the Bryant-Jordan Foundation to pursue a career as a teacher and she wants to coach high school athletics as well Luke Clanton enters play March 20-23 in the 2025 Valspar Championship at Innisbrook Resort (Copperhead Course) following an 18th-place finish in the Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches A dash represents a stat in which a player has not played a qualifying number of rounds this FedExCup season All stats in this article are accurate for Clanton as of the start of the Valspar Championship Note: The PGA TOUR has created this story via a machine-learning model using data from ShotLink, powered by CDW, in addition to player performance data. While we strive for accuracy and quality, please note that the information provided may not be entirely error-free. vsValspar Collegiate Invitational 11 Seminoles At Valspar Collegiate3/24/2025 9:28:00 PM | Men's Golf Clanton Set for Valspar Championship3/19/2025 10:45:00 AM | Men's Golf Clanton Aims for PGA TOUR Card at Cognizant Classic2/26/2025 12:05:00 PM | Men's Golf Clanton Named to Ben Hogan Watch List1/29/2025 2:00:00 PM | Men's Golf atLewis Chitengwa Invitational 10 Noles Win Chitengwa Memorial4/15/2025 4:25:00 PM | Men's Golf Luke Clanton earned his first PGA Tour start He won the Valspar Collegiate on Florida's Atlantic coast earning his way into the field at the 2025 Valspar Championship He thought this week at Innisbrook Resort's Copperhead Course would be his first PGA Tour start he'll do so as a soon-to-be PGA Tour member and the top-ranked amateur in the world to be honest with you," he said when asked what his reaction would've been if he knew what the past year held for him it's hard to even think about what happened to be competing on the PGA Tour against the best Clanton made the cut at the Cognizant Classic in the Palm Beaches he earned his 20th point in PGA Tour University Accelerated which was the final tally he needed to earn a PGA Tour card He can accept membership after the NCAA Championships in May his win at the Valspar Collegiate was his second of three straight starting one of the most dominant years from an amateur golfer in recent memory In 12 PGA Tour starts dating to last summer Clanton has made nine cuts and has a pair of runner-up finishes A made cut is one point to PGA Tour U Accelerated He has held that spot for more than 26 weeks the Florida State junior is set to be a PGA Tour member by the summer It's something that even in his wildest dreams Clanton couldn't imagine coming true "I thought (the Valspar) was going to be my first PGA Tour start To win that event was probably the biggest one I won in my career during that time," Clanton said To see mom on 18 there again and kind of telling her we got it done to get our first start was pretty amazing And then it kind of unraveled a little more after that so it's just been an incredible journey with the whole support Clanton won his second straight college event at the Seminole Intercollegiate He has won six times during his college career and it shouldn't be a shock to see him win more Clanton is ranked 93rd in the Official World Golf Ranking He has constantly stated his goal for the rest of the season is to win a national championship The Seminoles have also won two straight events and will defend their title beginning Monday at the Valspar Collegiate Clanton competed in the Wyndham Championship and finished late Sunday He took a redeye to Minneapolis and Hazeltine National where he then finished in the top 64 to make match play He'll make the drive Sunday night but has no idea how long it will take I don't really want to look," he said while laughing A quick look on GPS says it will take almost 4 hours but Clanton has a snake pit to navigate first Please select what you would like included for printing: Copy the text below and then paste that into your favorite email application 2025 from 6:00 to 8:00 pm at Lucas Funeral Home Interment: Following the funeral on March 11 In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the HEB ISD Education Foundation at https://www.hebisdedfoundation.org/ways-to-give Patsy Clanton was born and raised in El Paso where she was the Sun City’s answer to Babe Didrikson—city champion in table tennis a dominating women’s basketball player and a Gold Digger drill team member at what is now UTEP Though her life took her to the other side of the state Patsy always looked back fondly on her youth in El Paso and Ciudad Juarez.  Patsy spent the next decade teaching PE in El Paso which is where she met the love of her life After exasperating both their families by dating for several years and would stay happily together and verbally sparring who was the light of their lives from El Paso Patsy re-entered the teaching ranks as a PE teacher at Euless Junior High She would teach generations of PE and history students at Euless until retiring in 1992 to help take care of her grandchildren While she never understood why they didn’t share her athletic gifts even blowing out her knee in preschool gymnastics She happily attended every event for her grandchildren while loudly regaling everyone she met with tales of their accomplishments Patsy never lacked for an audience to regale because her bright personality and razor-sharp humor ensured she never met a stranger and she was quick to help everyone she encountered she was always ready to help her family—whether by serving as elementary carpool driver for a decade While no one will miss her attempts at cooking (except maybe the lovely Hurst firefighters who often had to visit her kitchen) we will all miss her ready wit Patsy Clanton is survived by her daughter Marci (Gary) great-grandchildren Emily Cate and Marshall The family thanks Amatus Hospice for the care they provided Patsy for the last year Enter your phone number above to have directions sent via text This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors vsWatersound Invitational Noles Win Watersound Invitational2/18/2025 9:45:00 PM | Men's Golf Luke Clanton leads Florida State to victory at Watersound Invitational Luke Clanton was one putt away from earning his PGA TOUR card at the WM Phoenix Open earlier this month. He will have another chance to fulfill that dream this week. Clanton will compete at the Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches on a sponsor exemption, his fourth TOUR start of the season. Clanton has accumulated 19 PGA TOUR University Accelerated points and can reach the requisite 20-point threshold to earn a TOUR card by making the cut at PGA National Resort (The Champion Course). The Florida State junior will chase his TOUR dream in familiar confines; he has played PGA National an estimated 40 times, and he'll have a robust contingent of family and friends out in support. But he knows better than to let his mind wander too far, for the time being. "It would be amazing," Clanton said of the prospect. "I've watched this event growing up since I was probably 9 or 10 years old. We played the Junior Honda (Classic) here a ton growing up and we had high school stuff here growing up. It's a little bit emotional for sure because I've always been on the sidelines watching this event, and being inside the ropes out there hitting golf shots out here on this golf course is amazing. "I think from 11, 12 years old to now, it's just kind of seeing the development of everything happening. We always talked about how cool it would be to play in this event and how cool it would be, home field advantage, whatever you want to say. Now it's happening. It's pretty surreal." Clanton’s best finish of the year is a T15 at the Farmers Insurance Open. He finished runner-up twice in 2024, at the John Deere Classic and The RSM Classic, as he quickly ascended into the world golf spotlight. He hasn't slowed down; he arrives at the Cognizant fresh off a collegiate victory at last week's Watersound Invitational. Clanton nearly earned his TOUR card three weeks ago. The Florida State junior had an 18-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole to make the cut at the WM Phoenix Open. If it went in, he would play the weekend and earn that elusive 20th point and a TOUR card. It slid by the hole, delaying Clanton’s coronation. “I had to make five birdies in my last eight holes and put four up and had a great chance on 18," he said at the time. "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.” Luke Clanton's agonizing missed eagle putt at WM Phoenix Open He didn’t have to wait long for his next opportunity. Clanton has notched five top-15 finishes in just 11 PGA TOUR starts, quickly moving to the verge of his card via PGA TOUR University Accelerated. He finished T15 at last month's Farmers Insurance Open for his 18th PGA TOUR University Accelerated point, which – after his long perch atop the World Amateur Golf Ranking – got him to No. 19 and set the stage for TPC Scottsdale. (The stage is now set for PGA National.) If Clanton makes the cut at the Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches, he will be eligible to take up PGA TOUR membership after finishing his junior season at Florida State. Vanderbilt’s Gordon Sargent was the first to secure his PGA TOUR card via PGA TOUR University Accelerated, earning his 20th point in fall 2023. Sargent returned for his senior season and is expected to accept TOUR membership after this spring’s NCAA Championship. Luke Clanton's interview after Round 4 of The RSM Classic Clanton has earned 13 PGA TOUR University Accelerated points via his TOUR achievements, with another six points via his position in the World Amateur Golf Ranking. He entered the TOUR spotlight at last summer’s U.S. Open, nearly earning low amateur honors before three-putting the final hole from 5 feet and finishing two short of his Sunday playing partner Neal Shipley. Rather than setting him back, the disappointment fueled him. Clanton’s golf path was paved humbly. He grew up at the 36-hole, public-access Country Club of Miami, playing with U.S. Kids junior clubs until getting his first full set at age 12 or 13. His dad David has worked three jobs simultaneously – in landscaping, running a glass business and teaching golf, with his mom Rhonda working 15-hour shifts as a flight attendant. His sisters Ray and Abby sacrificed hobbies so Luke could pursue his golf dreams. That dream can become reality at PGA National, just over an hour from where Clanton grew up. College golf's postseason is officially here as conference championships begin across the country Wednesday with teams looking to officially punch their ticket to NCAA Regionals begin next month With a majority of the regular-season events in the books most players have completed a majority of their seasons meaning resumes are about as polished as they can be two players have separated themselves from the pack as favorites for the Player of the Year award It's that time of year again: Calculating college golf's Magic Number break down their stats and see who's the favorite heading into the stretch (Spoiler alert: they play in the same conference) The junior at Florida State is well known for what he has done on the PGA Tour in the last year playing well enough to earn his PGA Tour card which he can take up after the NCAA Championship next month The expectation is that Clanton will turn pro and he stated his final goal in amateur golf is to win an NCAA Championship the Seminoles finished runner-up at Omni La Costa has only gotten stronger as the season has progressed all coming in the spring and in three of his past four starts he finished seventh and it was the Monday and Tuesday after he competed and made the cut at the PGA Tour's Valspar Championship Put his amateur accolades aside and look only at what he has done in college this season There's a reason he's the top amateur in the world and earned his PGA Tour card Ford had a strong start to the season in the fall and has only built on it in the spring. He has three consecutive wins heading into the ACC Championship, including over Clanton at the Valspar Intercollegiate. Ford's five wins in 2024-25 are the most in a single season in the history of UNC golf and he has also tied Dustin Bray for the UNC career record with seven titles Ford is also ranked first with a sizable lead on second with a little more than a month left before a PGA Tour card is awarded His play this year has helped him close in on locking up that guaranteed card and his five wins is more than any other Player in Division I He's the top-ranked player in the NCAA golf rankings Clanton and Ford are the definite front-runners with Ford having the advantage heading into the ACC Championship where the two will face off for the first time since the Valspar Intercollegiate It's also important to separate that Ford has been the best college player in 2024-25 while Clanton has been the best amateur in the world since last summer The gap is still close enough where Clanton could win the Haskins but he'll have to outplay Ford down the stretch Louisville's Sebastian Moss is another player who has three wins this year and will be primed for a shot at the Haskins with a strong showing at ACCs Ford is coming around the final corner with the lead Moss and others are hoping to make a run down the stretch Note: Just because a player isn't mentioned here doesn't mean they're not in contention for the award Amateur Luke Clanton can secure his PGA Tour membership by making the cut at this week's Cognizant Classic But if the 21-year-old Florida State junior is feeling any butterflies "Pressure is kind of a word I don't like to use," Clanton told reporters Wednesday in Palm Beach Gardens Clanton has already demonstrated that he can handle his nerves while playing with professionals Open at Pinehurst in June before finishing in the top 10 in back-to-back events at the Rocket Mortgage Classic (T10) and John Deere Classic (T2) He was the first amateur since 1958 with consecutive top-10 finishes on the PGA Tour Clanton placed fifth at the Wyndham Championship and T2 at The RSM Classic Clanton has sandwiched a pair of missed cuts (Sony Open and WM Phoenix Open) around a T15 at the Farmers Insurance Open Clanton said he is excited about the opportunity to clinch his tour card in Florida An amazing journey I guess you could say," he said I think I'm going to be boring with this answer yet again but just to kind of stay focused on one shot at a time." Clanton admitted he "got a little ahead of myself" in the first round of the WM Phoenix Open earlier this month and carded a 74 He bounced back with a 67 in the second round including birdies at four of the last eight holes I'm just going to try to stay in the moment as much as I can," he said "Everyone is trying to stay to make the cut I want to try to go out and play the best I can I'm trying to kind of flip that mindset from just making the cut to actually trying to compete in this event." but he's no stranger to this week's PGA National Champion Course estimating that he has played there "probably 40 times." "I'm excited to play the best golf I can," he said Luke Clanton on opportunity to earn PGA TOUR card at Cognizant Classic but he’s ranked 93rd overall in the Official World Golf Rankings He’s played in 11 PGA TOUR events so far in his career highlighted by a T2 at the 2024 John Deere Classic a fifth-place finish at the 2024 Wyndham Championship a T2 at The RSM Classic 2024 and a T15 at the recent 2025 Farmers Insurance Open keep taking it slow,” Clanton said in the Instagram video “Every step and every rep led me to this moment Clanton will be stashing his clubs in a Nike staff bag we’re especially interested in the clubs inside of Clanton’s bag At the 2025 Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches Clanton showed up with a Titleist TSR2 driver and a new Scotty Cameron Tour-Only T9 putter which is custom-made with rounded edges compared to the retail model A look at Luke Clanton's Titleist TSR2 driver (left) and TaylorMade BRNR mini driver (right) A look at Luke Clanton's TaylorMade UDI driving iron A look at Luke Clanton's Scottie Cameron putter Clanton remains relatively hands-off in the fitting process “I can't tell you what my loft/lie is or my degree or whatever it could be,” Clanton said in a press conference on Wednesday “I leave it up to the people I trust and the people I know I think I kind of have a great team around me that helps me out with the process I try not to overcomplicate things with golf because it's already complicated enough.” While at Torrey Pines for the 2025 Farmers Insurance Open Clanton stumbled upon a Scotty Cameron putter on the practice green that caught his eye and it’s still in the bag at PGA National Resort “I didn’t putt too great at (Sony Open in Hawaii) and I put it in at (Torrey Pines) and gained about five shots in the first couple rounds ‘That's not too bad,’ and I kept it in,” Clanton said about his new putter Clanton is clearly open to switching into new equipment if he finds something better he won’t be going away from his TaylorMade P760 long irons anytime soon The irons first released to the public back in 2018 but Clanton has tracked down a fresh set in case something should happen to his current P760 irons A look at Luke Clanton's TaylorMade P760 long irons “We just actually found a backup set for the first time,” Clanton said of his 7-year-old irons “It's pretty cool to know that I don't have to stress out about traveling with them and hopefully they don't break … so my caddie – I've been telling him for years about these 760 irons that we just can't find He went to an old club pro in Illinois and found a set that's brand new He always brings like one little gift for every event and he brought them over this week Gear aside, Clanton can secure his PGA TOUR card via the PGA TOUR University Accelerated by making the cut at the 2025 Cognizant Classic See more in-hand photos of Clanton’s equipment over on GolfWRX.com. An isolated weather event across Alabama to begin the month of March has caused dozens of wildfires across the state including a handful in Chilton County that have burned several acres Reports from the Alabama Forestry Commission (AFC) on the morning of March 4 reported that more than 6,000 acres have burned in Alabama wildfires over the past week with more than 175 wildfires reported in the state It is the most wildfires reported in the state since Jan 2020 when wildfire data from the AFC was first made available 12 wildfires were reported and marked on the AFC Wildfire Map on their website all of the fires were contained or controlled until an additional wildfire was reported near County Road 418 in Clanton three fires happened in northern Chilton County near the Chilton-Shelby County line that burned less than three acres and two fires in the Clanton city limits that burned around three acres combined larger fires raged on in eastern Chilton County with a wildfire near the Chilton-Coosa County line that burned 20 acres of land The largest wildfire in the county burned in Verbena and Marbury near the Chilton-Autauga County line where nearly 100 acres burned Volunteer and full-time fire departments battled the wildfires in the county and controlled all of them After only 20 calls for wildfires to the AFC from Feb the agency responded to 140 fires in the last week of February alone The AFC issued a Wildfire Advisory and did not issue burn permits from Feb 27 to March 4 to help combat the dry and gusty wind conditions The burn restriction was not like traditional restrictions where drought conditions over a period of time leads to a burn ban This burn ban was put into place due to a combination of dry conditions “With a significant uptick in wildfire ignitions over the last week the agency points to dropping relative humidity in the afternoon as especially concerning,” the Alabama Forestry Commission said in a press release “The combination of these conditions creates a greater-than-average potential for outdoor fires to escape easily and spread rapidly taking longer — and more the agency’s firefighting resources — to contain and ultimately control.” The AFC said that anyone who burns a field grassland or woodland without a burn permit while burn restrictions are in place are subject to prosecution for committing a Class B misdemeanor The storm system in the evening of March 4 is expected to help the wildfire situation in the state significantly Clanton is currently the No. 1 player in the Golfweek/AmateurGolf.com World Rankings and finished 15-under with rounds of 64-66-65 Florida State won the team competition by 12 shots at 23-under after leading after the first two rounds by two shots Clanton was absent from the Seminole lineup at the Cabo Collegiate where the Seminoles finished third as a team he secured his PGA TOUR Card at the Cognizant Classic by finishing T18 at 12-under he earned his 20th PGA TOUR University Accelerated point RELATEDTop amateur Luke Clanton earns PGA Tour card Brantley Scott of Troy finished in solo second place at 10-under and Wilmer Edero of Florida State and Brett Moore of Florida Gulf Coast finished T3 at 6-under Jack Bigham of Florida State and Nick Fowlkes of Troy finished T5 at 5-under.  The host school Seminoles carded rounds of 269-275-273 to get to 23-under Troy finished in solo second place at 11-under Augusta and North Alabama finished T3 at 6-under and Florida Gulf Coast finished in solo fifth place at 3-under to round out the top five View full results for Seminole Intercollegiate PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. -- Florida State junior Luke Clanton just needed to make the cut Friday in the Cognizant Classic to earn a PGA Tour card Clanton ran off four straight birdies on the front nine at PGA National, the last one by holing a bunker shot as his father captured it on a phone from the gallery and closed with a birdie for a 5-under 66 to easily make it to the weekend That gave him the final point he needed in the PGA Tour University Accelerated program to earn a PGA Tour card after the NCAA championship ends May 26 "It's pretty cool to do it here," said Clanton who grew up near Miami and had his entire family (and plenty more) in the gallery and to be on 18 walking up and seeing all the people there "I'm just excited to kind of get this journey started and go back and win a national championship with the college team first and then get it started." Florida State junior Luke Clanton ran off four straight birdies on the front nine at PGA National and closed with a birdie for a 5-under 66 to make the cut at the Cognizant Classic and earn his PGA Tour card. Reinhold Matay/Imagn ImagesThe 21-year-old Clanton was beaming as he held the tour card His birdie from the bunker on the 18th hole put him at 9-under 133 just four shots out of the lead and very much in contention going into the weekend In the 12 times he has played PGA Tour-sanctioned events Clanton already has two runner-up finishes and two other top-10s They all contributed to his rapid rise through PGA Tour University which began five years ago to give college players a direct path to the big leagues Clanton missed the cut in two of his three PGA Tour events this year He tied for 15th in the Farmers Insurance Open He conceded the final point was starting to become a burden "It feels good to get it done now," he said "I got that question asked about 19 points a ton and it was kind of nerve-racking -- everyone saying to get your tour card and the support has been amazing -- but to finally get it done is definitely a little bit of ease for sure." He made bogey on his second hole by having to pitch back to the fairway He hit a 319-yard drive that set up a two-putt birdie on the par-5 third He hit wedge to 10 feet for birdie on the fourth hole He made a 20-foot birdie on the par-3 fifth And he hit a tough shot around the trees into a bunker and holed that for a fourth birdie Clanton muffed one chip on the 14th with the finish line in sight He followed that by knocking in an 18-foot par putt "We still have two more days in this event and we're going to be locked in and try to go out and win this thing," Clanton said The PGA Tour University program began for seniors The Accelerated program began in November 2022 -- after the first season of Saudi-backed LIV Golf -- for underclassmen They can accumulate points for making the cut on the PGA Tour playing and making the cut in a major and other achievements Gordon Sargent of Vanderbilt was the first to get a card through the Accelerated program Clanton earned 14 points through tournaments 1 in the world amateur ranking and another point for staying at No He played the opening two rounds with Daniel Berger a Ryder Cup player who also went to Florida State SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA | In 2022, Luke Clanton sat in front of his TV watching the WM Phoenix Open, a tournament he’d been watching since he was 10 years old. Sam Ryder was on the tee of the notorious 16th hole at TPC Scottsdale. Clanton watched as Ryder hit his iron flush, the ball soaring in the air before landing on the green and dropping into the cup Clanton heard the roar of the crowd and looked on as fans showered the hole in beer Clanton was standing on the same 16th tee with iron in hand during a Phoenix Open practice round “I love giving the crowd a good show,” he said Clanton tees off Thursday with a chance to earn a PGA Tour card by Friday he will have reached the 20-point threshold for earning a card through PGA Tour University Accelerated giving him the option to turn pro and join the tour after the college season ends He would also have the option to defer his status until after his senior season as Vanderbilt’s Gordon Sargent did last year Clanton has made eight cuts and finished second twice at last year’s John Deere Classic and RSM Classic known for its thousands of rowdy spectators but he and those close to him think he’s ready “Every single PGA Tour event you play you get a lot of people watching you,” Clanton said “You have to stay in your zone and do what you do.” Clanton’s career showed promise from the beginning Florida State golf coach Trey Jones says he first saw Clanton play when the youngster was 12 years old Jones immediately saw Clanton’s confidence and love of golf He knew he wanted Clanton at Florida State “Before he committed I think I watched Luke play 43 rounds of junior golf,” Jones said Luke Clanton swings away on the third hole of the third round during the 2024 U.S While he didn’t have the freshman year he wanted he set the lowest single-season scoring average in FSU history during his sophomore year (69.33) Clanton attributes a lot of his success to how competitive his teammates are coming out here and playing,” Clanton said “When I come back they’re still trying to kick my butt every single day.” recent winner of the Jones Cup Invitational While Albright can’t remember their head-to-head record he says there have been a lot of fireworks and putts to win on the final hole “We’re both highly competitive individuals and it can get scrappy out there but it’s really fun to play against each other,” Albright said Jones loves the competition between teammates and says Clanton is especially competitive “He’ll do anything to push them to get better,” Jones said “I think you’re going to see him do exactly what he has done The motor is going to go in one direction.” – Trey Jones Clanton is at the top of the amateur game but the PGA Tour is entirely different Successful amateur golfers don’t always light it up at the next level Jones doesn’t think Clanton will have a hard time adjusting “I think you’re going to see him do exactly what he has done,” Jones said “The motor is going to go in one direction.” It’s not just Jones who believes the amateur will find success at the highest level a two-time Phoenix Open champion and the world’s No saw Clanton on the range at TPC Scottsdale he had to ask if the FSU golfer had his tour card yet or was still in college because Scheffler sees Clanton at so many tour events “He’s played great golf and definitely deserves to get his card,” Scheffler said “I hope that he plays good this week and locks it up and goes back and does his thing in school.” even Scheffler isn’t completely immune to the pressure of performing in front of the throng at TPC Scottsdale’s 16th hole “It’s cool to be able to get in that environment and have people cheering for you,” Scheffler said “The cheers for you immediately stop if you miss the green or don’t make birdie Clanton is relishing his first experience at the notorious stadium hole “I’m excited to see what it’s going to be like over the weekend or Thursday and Friday Albright can’t wait to watch his teammate play 16 “If anything it’ll level up his golf game,” Albright said “He does so well in front of crowds when the pressure is on.” Jones agrees that Clanton will embrace the crowd He’ll be the one if everyone gets quiet to tell them to make noise.” the first day he is back (at school) he’ll be out practicing at 9 in the morning But Clanton says he can’t focus on winning Even getting his tour card isn’t his focus right now His focus is on what he can control in the moment We are sorry that this post was not useful for you Tell us how we can improve this post Clanton finished 10-under with rounds of 73-66-67 He started with a first-round 1-over 73 but carded a second-round 6-under 66 to get into contention and then a 5-under 67 to secure the win 36 holes were played on Tuesday in anticipation of inclement weather on Wednesday.  Two in the second round and one in the third round Clanton is currently ranked No. 1 in the Golfweek/AmateurGolf.com World Rankings RELATED ARTICLESLuke Clanton and Jackson Koivun make history at the Farmers Insurance OpenLuke Clanton comes agonizingly close to earning Tour card at the WM Open Clanton currently has 19 points in the PGA Tour Accelerated Program he will earn his PGA Tour card at the end of the collegiate season he will get a chance in two weeks in the Cognizant Classic Luke Clanton will play next week's Cognizant Classic on a sponsor exemption He still needs to make one cut to earn his PGA Tour card via Accelerated.Clanton will now likely miss FSU's next event Jonathan Griz of Alabama and Jones Free of Alabama finished T2 at 7-under. Benjamin Reuter of Georgia Tech and Jackson Van Paris of Vanderbilt finished T4 at 6-under to round out the top five.  Florida State won the tournament at 26-under The Seminoles carded rounds of 278-287-273 to pull away from the field Alabama finished in solo second place at 17-under and UCLA finished in solo third place at 13-under View full results for Watersound Invitational damaged vehicles and destroyed homes were left behind after a tornado ravaged Maplesville and the surrounding areas the night of March 15 Isabella and Pletcher were hit hard by the tornado and endured the brunt of the damage 3003 and others in the Maplesville area sustained significant damage that included down powerlines trailers thrown thousands of feet off their foundation and vehicles completely destroyed Preliminary results for the tornado that impacted Dallas and Chilton Counties was deemed an EF-3 tornado at around 3:45 p.m Those preliminary findings were confirmed at 11 p.m and the tornado was confirmed at EF-3 strength There were 16 areas of suspected tornado damage across Alabama from the March 15 outbreak and the National Weather Service in Birmingham released preliminary information on March 19 that confirmed 14 tornados during the outbreak the Dallas-Autauga-Chilton tornado is the strongest as the only EF-3 tornado After the National Weather Storm Prediction Center upped the severe weather threat on March 15 to a five out of five in the afternoon of March 14 the level of concern for what could happen was raised Many people in Chilton County took advantage of the early warning to plan their safety measures and those measures and steps taken led to no fatalities within the Chilton County limits despite all of the damage Chilton County saw very manageable weather throughout the day on March 15 until around 8 p.m A strong thunderstorm developed in Dallas County and produced tornadic activity that traveled northeast towards the Chilton-Dallas County line The tornado ripped through the small town of Plantersville just a few miles from the county border the tornado completely destroyed a number of homes and killed two people confirmed by Dallas County Sheriff Michael Granthum lost his first cousin in the weather event after their trailer was thrown an estimated .26 of a mile off its foundation “It is amazing what the wind can do,” Wright said but I know some others that should have went.” The tornado moved from Plantersville across the county line and into the Maplesville and Pletcher areas at around 9:30 p.m Extensive damage in the area caused County Road 16 to be shut down off County Road 15 and Highway 82 forced to a one-lane road at County Road 3003 The tornado continued its destructive path towards County Roads 340 and 341 where homes were completely whipped out Susie and Kerry Walker’s home was badly damaged and they said we needed to get to our safe space,” Susie Walker said “Me and my two daughters got in our middle bathroom in the tub They said it was coming through Dallas County and my husband was still in the living room They just within seconds got to the bathroom.” County Road 64 was one of the first stops for the tornado in Chilton County you could hear glass just shattering,” Walker said and I have never been so scared in my life because I have never been through one When you feel the house shaking … It was awful Other damages reported in the area included a gas line being struck by lightning in Maplesville that caught on fire and extensive flooding it was reported by power crews that 1,381 out of 26,856 homes or businesses were without power in Chilton County that number jumped to 4,600 people by 9:30 p.m Alabama Power has restored power to all but 130 customers in Chilton County local restaurants and churches were among those who stepped up throughout March 16 to help the families who lives were forever changed by provided food the Chilton County Sheriff’s Office set up a command center at Clearwaters Cowboy Church at the intersection of County Roads 37 and 76 to help people looking for assistance in anyway it was reported that 52 of the 67 counties in Alabama sustained damage during the severe weather across the state with some of the most devastating happening in Chilton County Clanton Earns Top 15 Finish at Farmers Insurance1/25/2025 8:41:00 PM | Men's Golf Luke Clanton crossed the 20-point PGA TOUR University Accelerated threshold and will be eligible to take up TOUR membership at the conclusion of his collegiate season this spring Luke holed the bunker shot for his fourth consecutive birdie The Clanton family has spent the last four months waiting for Luke’s time to come He came close to earning his PGA TOUR card several times over the last nine months He was runner-up twice when a win would’ve been enough He missed a putt on the 18th hole at the WM Phoenix Open in February that would’ve put him on the right side of the cutline and earned him his card reiterated it wasn’t his time and put trust in his faith Clanton admitted the angst had been growing, hoping to close out his chase for point No. 20 so he could enjoy his junior season at Florida State and put his energy toward winning a national championship. The agony of the near misses was starting to catch up. The celebratory scene on Friday was worth the wait. See, the making of a top PGA TOUR talent like Clanton is built by a village – parents, siblings, friends, teammates, coaches and mentors. A few were on hand in Phoenix for Clanton’s first attempt at a TOUR card, but almost all were here Friday to watch the culmination of their collective dream realized, just over an hour from where Clanton grew up. And it came on a course Clanton played 30-40 times as a junior. “It’s the closest we’ll get to home,” said Clanton’s mom, Rhonda. As Clanton reached the 18th green, he tried his best not to look in his family’s direction. He didn’t want to break down in tears before the job was done. Clanton stood over a birdie putt at the 18th and fist-pumped as he poured it in. Then came the release. He put his head in his hands and hugged his caddie. The waterworks came when he finally reached his family. It was the perfect cap on what has been an imperfect journey to the PGA TOUR. Clanton had a loving upbringing with a strong family dynamic, but in a sport that is increasingly expensive as a high-level junior with frequent travel, Clanton was often at a disadvantage to his peers. “We didn't have everything that everyone else had,” said Clanton. “We put the grind in, big time,” David said. Luke Clanton’s Round 2 highlights from Cognizant Classic That didn’t mean Davis stopped working. Up until last week, he still worked three jobs as a landscaper, running a glass business and giving golf lessons. He sold his business last Saturday in anticipation of Luke’s pro career and expects to only teach lessons on occasion, spending most of his time with Luke on the road. Clanton’s mom Rhonda has spent nearly 40 years as a flight attendant, regularly working 15-hour shifts. She plans to retire on June 1 to follow her son. “I’m ready to travel with him instead of Delta,” she said. The sacrifice extended down to Luke’s sisters, Ray and Abby, who both sacrificed hobbies so their younger brother had more resources to pursue golf. They were at PGA National to watch Luke get his card and were the first two people Luke hugged when he walked off the 18th green. “I mean, dad and mom, what they've done for me, it's kind of – can't even put it into words, Clanton said. “No one knows about it. No one really will ever know how much they did for me.” Clanton plans to fully retire them both after the checks roll in once he turns pro. He’s getting cars for both mom and dad. “She’s first,” David said, laughing as he pointed to Rhonda. Clanton is in contention again at the Cognizant Classic, tied for 10th through 36 holes. He made seven birdies and importantly followed up each of his two bogeys with birdies. As Clanton walked toward the scoring tent, he was already thinking beyond earning his newfound membership. “We’re going to win this damn event,” he said. David and Rhonda followed close behind, watching as Luke received his TOUR card and made a slew of media stops. David kept his phone rolling for all of it, a video totalling more than 15 minutes. Clanton Named to Spring Haskins Award Watch List3/10/2025 10:10:00 AM | Men's Golf Luke Clanton has barely had time to process the whirlwind journey he's gone on in the last year The Florida State junior golfer quickly rose through the rankings to become the No 1 ranked amateur golfer in the world as a sophomore a PGA Tour card and a chance at a national championship but Clanton prefers it as he feels it allows him to not lose sight of what he's chasing "I haven't had much time to realize what's happening in the moment in time Which I'm almost glad because I can kinda just keep going on what I'm doing," Clanton said you're always chasing for more and more and more It was a full-circle moment for him as he had played the Champions Course at PGA National growing up as a South Florida native and while Clanton said everyone's focus was seemingly on him just making it to the weekend he and his caddie were hungry for something more While he did get Chipotle to celebrate making the cut and his tour card Clanton's appetite was to stand alone atop the leaderboard I was trying to go out there and prove a message," Clanton said 'We're gonna go out there and try to win this thing." Clanton was ultimately unable to win in Palm Beach County 20 FSU and the winners circle with a team and individual win in last weekend's Seminole Intercollegiate in Thomasville He shot -15 in the tournament to win and help push the Seminoles (-23) over the edge for a 12-stroke win over second-place Troy (-11) It was a fulfilling moment for Clanton to return back to college competition and win with his team who he said have been fully supportive of his PGA Tour dreams "My focus has always been with the team to win a national championship They've been so supportive of the career I've chosen going through those tour events and getting it done," Clanton said so they've understood every single week I've left and not been there for workouts or practices." Luke Clanton trying to lead FSU golf to national championshipThe Seminoles are coming off a national runner-up season falling to Auburn in the program's first national title appearance While last season was a great learning experience for Clanton and the team the focus is now on winning a national championship Clanton feels that the team is capable of winning college golf's ultimate prize and has a lot of momentum after the Seminole Intercollegiate win "I think you need five guys that can play well out there So it's going to be cool for us to go back and try to do what we need to do," Clanton said "We've been talking about a national championship now for a couple of months and it's always hard to not look too far ahead but we have some good events coming up to build up and build off of as a team He plans on playing the Valspar Open in St Petersburg next week before the Seminoles compete in the Valspar Invitational in Palm City on March 24 He earned an exemption to the event after winning the Valspar Invitational at the Floridan Golf Club last season Clanton doesn't have any other professional events planned right now "I won at the Floridian last year in the college event to get that exemption and they've been really kind with what they've done for me," Clanton said Liam Rooney covers Florida State athletics for the Tallahassee Democrat Contact him via email at LRooney@gannett.com or on Twitter @__liamrooney New beginnings are here for The Bread of Life Food Pantry in Clanton as the ministry found its new home at Clanton Church of Christ on Lay Dam Road One of the biggest proponents of lowering the food insecurities in the county over the last few years Bread of Life will be housed at 1111 Lay Dam Road Clanton to continue to serve thousands of residents “It has been a huge blessing for them to step up,” Greg Nobles “They came down to meet us and they said ‘We are all for this we think everybody should be feeding the people in the community and we will support you 100%.’ They have been really good.” After the reshuffling of the building at 300 Park Plaza The ministry began in June 2022 during a time when Chilton County was among the three counties the Heart of Alabama Food Bank in Montgomery wanted to get more food into because of a lack of food pantries in the area Chilton County is now no longer on that list giving away 5,000 pounds of food each week when things are its busiest “We are just glad to be able to get back to giving people food because we have gotten such huge blessings the two and a half years before now Bread of Life is currently in the process of securing 501(c)3 nonprofit organization status as well as in the process of raising funds to build their own building for the food pantry but Nobles assures the building will be on the ground soon to further enhance the ministry Bread of Life Food Pantry is open every Thursday from 3:30-5 p.m. and the pantry gives away frozen and dry foods After a solid 2-under 68 in the first round on the Seaside Course Clanton propelled into the top five after a second-round 7-under 65 on the Plantation course Clanton followed that up with a third-round 2-under 68 to get to 11-under for the week and 11 to within one shot of the lead but dropped back with a three-putt bogey on No but a bogey from both players saw them fall to 15-under and into a tie for the lead with McNealy and Berger A birdie from McNealy on the final hole saw Clanton finish one shot back After making the Cut and finishing in the top ten Clanton has 17 PGA Tour U Accelerated points He needs 20 points before the end of this college season to earn his Tour card Clanton is ranked No. 1 in the Golfweek/AmateurGolf.com World Rankings and has now made seven of eight cuts on the PGA Tour with four top-ten finishes and three top-five finishes.  RELATED ARTICLESOn his 21st birthday, here is how Luke Clanton became the top amateur in the world Florida State standout junior Luke Clanton is T7 at 11-under and three shots off the lead at the RSM Classic Clanton has shot rounds of 68-65-68 to get to 11-under and one round on the Plantation course.  Luke Clanton will head to the weekend in contention and just two shots back of the lead after a second-round 7-under 65 at the Plantation Course at the RSM Classic Clanton shot a first-round 2-under 68 on the Seaside Course to put himself in a good position to make the cut at T34 He jumped 30 spots up the leaderboard during his second round Clanton recorded four birdies and no bogeys in his round 13 after hitting his second shot in the water saw him fall to 2-under For the eighth time in his career, Florida State standout and top-ranked amateur Luke Clanton will tee it up on the PGA Tour Clanton will play in the 2024 RSM Classic at the Sea Island Golf Club Clanton rose to the top of the men’s ranking after a Round of 64 victory at the U.S Clanton became the first amateur to record consecutive top 10s on the PGA Tour since 1958 A week after finishing T-10 in the 2024 Rocket Mortgage Classic the Florida State All-American finished runner-up in the John Deere Classic He most recently recorded a solo fifth-place finish at the Wyndham Championship in North Carolina.Clanton also made his U.S Open debut at Pinehurst and became the first amateur in championship history to record consecutive rounds in the 60s with back-to-back 69s in the second and third rounds He would finish T41 and second among all amateurs.During this past collegiate season at Florida State University Clanton finished fifth in the Atlantic Coast Conference Championship and fifth in the NCAA Stanford Regional leading the Seminoles to the NCAA Championship where they fell to Auburn in the championship final Clanton shared runner-up honors with five other golfers in the NCAA Division I Championship at the Omni La Costa Resort's North Course one stroke behind winner Hiroshi Tai of Georgia Tech losing to Auburn's JM Butler in the championship match The Florida State junior will be paired up with former Texas Tech standout and defending RSM Classic champion Ludvig Aberg and Matt McCarty in the first two rounds Clanton is joined in the field by fellow amateur Jacob Modleski who earned a spot in the field after winning the Jones Cup Invitational back in January Modleski will play with Zecheng Dou and Kevin Dougherty Clanton shot a final round 4-under 66 and is currently in the clubhouse at T1 with Nico Echavarria Maverick McNealy and Daniel Berger are also T1 at 15-under and are heading to No Clanton has inked an endorsement deal with Nike, he announced Thursday on Instagram. Clanton, a Florida State junior, joins Vanderbilt’s Gordon Sargent as top men’s college golfers to partner with Nike, which has sponsored several star golfers through the years including a 27-year partnership with Tiger Woods that ended in early 2024. “To future me, I would say, keep taking it slow,” Clanton said in the Instagram video. “Every step and every rep led me to this moment. But those moments don’t define me. This is just the beginning. Now, it’s time to go all in. Time to go further. Dream bigger. Push harder. It’s time ... to just do it.” Clanton is still hungry for a national title with Florida State as well, having won this week’s Watersound Invitational as an individual and leading the Seminoles to a team title. He’ll pursue a championship as a Nike athlete. Northern Transmissions is a music website started for music lovers, by music lovers. We feature interviews, album and live reviews from today’s most influential independent bands and artists. Northern Transmissions also features music news from around the world everyday. Over 7,000 people entered the lottery in hopes of getting on the guest list This made it one of the strictest doors I’ve encountered on a night out I chatted with some diehard TV Girl and George Clanton fans I’d met while killing time at a bar across the street about an hour before citing both as inspirations for their own musical aspirations One enthused about her favorite Clanton song Both TV Girl and George Clanton create music that might be broadly categorized under alt/indie electronic pop While TV Girl leans more lo-fi indie—mixing anything from hip-hop beats to pulled samples from old records—Clanton maintains a strong connection with his vaporwave Fauxllennium encapsulates these two musical styles featuring songs like Summer 2000 Baby and Take a Trip singles released this August and played at the show Baby’s All Right perfectly reflects this musical juxtaposition—the upstairs decorated as elegantly as other upscale city cocktail bars where the artists perform on an elevated stage members of the audience rested their coats at the edge of the stage throughout the show This intimacy especially shines through with performances from duos as simpatico as George Clanton and Brad Peterson Though this pairing may at first seem dissonant both their characteristic sounds melded together in symbiotic fashion Clanton—jumping beside him in blacked-out sunglasses and oversized jeans I was afraid he’d trip over—seemed to draw a vitality both out of him and the audience Their almost decade-long collaborative friendship was apparent on stage They whispered to one another during the set and more than once Clanton brought out drinks for the two of them Petering referred to Clanton as “America’s sweetheart,” and Clanton returned his affection by delicately twiddling his ear Petering introduced a remixed version of Deee-Lite’s “Groove Is In The Heart,” singing over a blend of funky-techno he transitioned to The Beatles’ “Strawberry Fields Forever,” which was met with cheers and recording iPhones from the crowd as if he was teasing the audience for its giddy response delightfully unexpected song choices that made this show so engaging I wondered if this was because of some slight anticipation but perhaps it was simply the listeners’ puzzled reactions to a mood shift waving their arms and cheering with Clanton Petering and Clanton announced and performed their new song “You’re Not Invited,” while alluding to a future collaboration with The Dare I still can’t tell if this was a joke or not TV Girl and George Clanton live Baby’s All Right December 6 2024 The show closed with a fading remix of U2’s “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For.” Fans lingered around for a bit before the venue kicked almost everyone out. I was lucky enough to run into Frost Children the opening dj act (they are playing Knockdown Center on New Year’s Eve) as well as the outgoing indie rock musician Anna James (aka Xarissa) she stormed the stage to take photos with her boyfriend They were also friendly and remarkably funny (see my writer’s note at the end) I talked with the two of them about touring troubles and the UHC shooter—an eclectic group of topics Their remarks were as captivatingly idiosyncratic as you may expect Petering elaborated on the difference between playing for an audience on a stage like the one at Baby’s All Right where the crowd looks neck-bent-upwards at the performers where he stood in the middle of the dance floor with the audience surrounding him on all sides I gathered that he liked both for different reasons that he must have been drained from the quick succession of shows fellow journalist and photographer Lala May and I had the chance to banter a bit with Clanton a past era of his which was greatly influenced by vaporwave trends he swayed back and forth and chuckled sporadically half with us and half at the memory of this persona he broke away from our conversation to say goodbye to some friends with the same high energy he had just employed with us It’s this energy from Clanton—which lasted from the very beginning of the show right until the venue’s wrap up around 3am—paired with Petering’s laid-back charm and sampling expertise that make the two enchanting to see on stage The atmosphere they created somehow translated even to those who weren’t present in person—Clanton announced on stage that 400,000 people tuned into the show’s livestream TV Girl and Clanton’s exclusive record release show at Baby’s All Right definitely did not disappoint I’m happy to have had the opportunity to attend and meet a lovely cast of characters I look forward to listening to their new album I stumbled upon Petering and Clanton’s joint Reddit “Ask Me Anything” post which made me audibly laugh multiple times Petering and Clanton not only jive musically See Petering’s comment: “I can’t answer [any more] questions because I have to go sight-seeing in beautiful and historic MIAMI.” And Clanton’s follow up: “Me too.” order tickets for George Clanton HERE order tickets for TV Girl HERE Luke Clanton’s stirring back-nine rally at the WM Phoenix Open fell just short 15 and 17 but couldn’t find a needed birdie at the last hole from 18 1/2 feet “We thought about the cut from 14 on basically,” said Clanton, who was grouped with Justin Thomas (68, 8-under total) and fellow 21-year-old Nick Dunlap (70, 2-under total), the latter of whom birdied 18 to make the cut. “But it's not going to change the way I roll it,” Clanton added. “It's not going to change the way I read it. It was a great day. I had a blast. I put up a great fight. 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.” ‘He's such a humble dude’: Luke Clanton on learning from Scottie Scheffler Clanton earned his 19th point in PGA TOUR University Accelerated on Wednesday when he reached 26 weeks atop the World Amateur Golf Ranking. With a made cut Friday, he would have earned his 20th point to clinch a PGA TOUR card after the spring season. Vanderbilt’s Gordon Sargent was the first to secure his PGA TOUR card via PGA TOUR University Accelerated, earning his 20th point in fall 2023. Sargent returned for his senior season and can accept TOUR membership after this spring’s NCAA Championship. Clanton is expected to have another chance to get to 20 points soon, perhaps by making the cut whenever and wherever he is next awarded a sponsor exemption. Coming into this week, he had notched five top-15 finishes in just 10 PGA TOUR starts, including runner-up showings at last year’s John Deere Classic and The RSM Classic. He finished T15 at the Farmers Insurance Open two weeks ago for his 18th PGA TOUR University Accelerated point, which after his long perch atop the WAGR got him to 19 set the stage for Scottsdale. Alas, his PGA TOUR card will have to wait. Max Homa, who was 10th in the Official World Golf Ranking as recently as last May but has fallen to 57th, continues to search for his old form. A six-time PGA TOUR winner, Homa tied for 53rd at the no-cut AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am last week. He withdrew after carding a first-round 77 and amid a second-round wind delay at the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines. He missed the cut at the WM Phoenix Open. After shooting 76 in Round 1 at his hometown tournament, Homa rallied with a 2-under 69 on Friday. That wasn’t enough to make it to the weekend, but Scottie Scheffler, who along with Tom Kim played the first 36 holes with Homa at TPC Scottsdale, didn’t sound worried. “Max didn't have his best stuff this week,” said Scheffler, who shot 66 and is five off the lead, “but his attitude is always great. It's great being around guys like that where they're still fighting for every shot, especially on the back nine today when it was fairly obvious he wasn't going to be able to make the cut, especially the last four or five holes. “To watch him still grind it out and continue to work on his game,” Scheffler continued, “that's the stuff that when he kind of gets out of this little rut that he's in, I think he'll look back on fighting for every shot, no matter the situation.” Although the damage was done Thursday, Homa flashed some form Friday with birdies at the rowdy par-3 16th hole (while wearing a Los Angeles Dodgers jersey), the drivable par-4 17th and the par-3 fourth hole on his second nine. Max Homa drives the green to set up birdie at WM Phoenix Open It was an odd second round for Horschel, the winner of eight PGA TOUR titles. First, playing partner Rickie Fowler withdrew with illness, leaving Horschel and Sahith Theegala to play as a twosome. Then, Horschel, who started on the back nine Friday, seemed to be headed in the right direction with an eagle at the par-5 15th hole. Billy Horschel sinks a 29-foot eagle putt at WM Phoenix Open In the end, he simply made too many mistakes, with six second-round bogeys. Theegala, meanwhile, made it on the number after a 5-under 66 atoned for an opening-round 74 and left him at 2-under for the tournament. Two-time PGA TOUR winner and three-time European Ryder Cup team member bogeyed the 18th hole Friday and missed the cut by a shot. He was coming off a T48 at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. The fan favorite from “Full Swing” docuseries was coming off a T9 at the Farmers Insurance Open but never got anything going at TPC Scottsdale. McCarty, the reigning Korn Ferry Tour Player of the Year and winner of the PGA TOUR’s Black Desert Championship, is no stranger to desert golf, having been a standard-bearer at the WM Phoenix Open as a kid. That didn’t help him much this week, though, as McCarty shot 3-over 38 on the front nine, his second of the day Friday, to seal his fate. Luke Clanton drips in a 33-foot birdie putt at Farmers Luke Clanton is headed to the WM Phoenix Open on a sponsor exemption He could leave Arizona with a guaranteed PGA TOUR card He will earn a 19th point Wednesday when he reaches 26 weeks at No he would earn the requisite 20th point to clinch a PGA TOUR card after the spring season There’s a 132-player field at the WM Phoenix Open one of professional golf’s most raucous events with a 36-hole cut to the top 65 players and ties Clanton could secure his PGA TOUR card after the second round at TPC Scottsdale likely Friday evening barring any delays to play Clanton’s opportunity this week is the culmination of a sterling TOUR run for the past eight months. He has notched five top-15 finishes in just 10 starts, including runner-up showings at last year’s John Deere Classic and The RSM Classic. Two weeks ago, he finished T15 at the Farmers Insurance Open to earn his 18th PGA TOUR University Accelerated point, setting the stage for a potential #TOURBound moment in the Arizona desert. Luke Clanton's approach to 12 feet yields birdie at Farmers Clanton has earned 13 PGA TOUR University Accelerated points via his TOUR achievements, with another five points by reaching No. 1 on the World Amateur Golf Ranking. He entered the TOUR spotlight at last summer’s U.S. Open, nearly earning low amateur honors before three-putting the final hole from 5 feet and finishing two short of his Sunday playing partner Neal Shipley. Rather than setting him back, the disappointment fueled him. Luke Clanton's rise in PGA TOUR University Accelerated. (The Cut) This week, Clanton’s journey could reach a crescendo with a PGA TOUR card. Luke Clanton is the newest PGA Tour member Luke Clanton is the talk of the tour right now. Still only 21, the World No.1 amateur punched his ticket to the big time after playing in the Cognizant Classic, where a tie for 18th was good enough to secure his PGA Tour card through the Tour’s University Accelerated Program The American has already racked up four top 10s in just 12 starts on the PGA Tour and has been so impressive that he’s now being tipped to make his Ryder Cup debut at Bethpage Black in September “Is it that hot of a take?” Matt Every, the PGA Tour star, argued on the Sky Sports Golf podcast. “He’s a nice player and he’s got a great captain I really doubt Keegan is going to rip right down the list 7 through 12 Though it may seem unlikely at this stage, there is precedent for this kind of thing happening. Ludvig Aberg didn’t make his professional debut until June 2023 and yet he was picked to play in the Ryder Cup in Rome three months later What counts against Clanton is that he can’t turn pro until June which gives him a limited window to make an impression But judging by what he’s achieved since bursting onto the scene at last year’s US Open Michael Catling is Today's Golfer's Features Editor and an award-winning journalist who specializes in golf's Majors and Tours By Michael Catling But perhaps his biggest news came Thursday Clanton announced via his Instagram page he has inked a deal with Nike Nike has pursued deals with other college golf stars in the past like Vanderbilt senior Gordon Sargent and former USC standout Amari Avery Clanton's signing will likely pay off quickly He's a point away from earning his PGA Tour card via PGA Tour University Accelerated which he could do with a made cut next weekend in his hometown event Clanton is a virtual lock to win the Hogan Award in May which will give him three points and secure his status in the professional ranks Clanton has made 11 PGA Tour stats with eight made cuts three top-5 finishes and a pair of runners-up Next week will be his fourth start of 2025 and he made the cut at the Farmers Insurance Open and placed T-15 He missed he cut at the Sony Open and WM Phoenix Open For Nike, it's a brilliant signing of one of the game's young stars. Clanton is 93rd in the Official World Golf Ranking while still an amateur. For Clanton, he's now a part of Team Swoosh which has had plenty of success in the professional golf ranks Nelly Korda and Brooks Koepka are among Nike Golf's current athletes Now Clanton joins them as he gears up for the start of his professional career Shop Nike golf apparel The Florida State junior is currently 10-under and holds a one-shot lead over Brantley Scott of Troy entering the final round of the 2025 Seminole Intercollegiate at Glen Arven Country Club in Thomasville Clanton is currently the No. 1 player in the Golfweek/AmateurGolf.com World Rankings and has carded rounds of 64-66 to reach 10-under Wilmer Edero of Florida State and Brett Moore of Florida Gulf Coast are T4 at 5-under to round out the top five North Alabama is in solo third place at 7-under Augusta is in solo fourth place at 5-under and Florida Gulf Coast is in solo fifth place at 1-over to round out the top five After making the cut at the Cognizant Classic Clanton earned his 20th point through the PGA Tour University Accelerated Program and 20 points gets him a PGA Tour card once his collegiate season ends. He got his 19th point after holding the top spot in the World Amateur Golf Ranking for a year Clanton entered the weekend only three shots off the lead after rounds of 67-66 He was T8 and rose 20 spots in the second round he accumulated all 20 points in a nine-month span "It has been an incredible journey with the team I have," Clanton said The wait is over.@FSUGolf junior Luke Clanton is officially #TOURBound! pic.twitter.com/3352qn4PGL "I saw my mom and dad before the bunker shot and tried not to tear up To get it done and make a birdie on the last was a dream come true." When asked if he would turn pro or stay at Florida State for his senior year Clanton said "I got no clue." He can't turn pro until June so he has time to celebrate and figure it out Clanton is the No. 1 in the Golfweek/AmateurGolf.com World Rankings Luke Clanton will take another crack at earning his PGA Tour card this week in the Cognizant Classic at PGA National he will earn his 20th point in the PGA Tour accelerated program.The junior from Florida State is looking to become just the second player to earn a PGA Tour card through the program Gordon Sargent earned 20 points in October 2023 and has remained at Vanderbilt with plans to turn pro after he completes his senior season this May Clanton came agonizingly close to earning that final point at the WM Phoenix Open Clanton was in a tough position to make the cut he battled back on Friday and had a 15-foot putt on the final hole to make the cut sending him back to Tallahassee with 19 points. “I don't think I've ever dealt with pressure like that before so I'm learning every single week,” he said following the round “I kept trying to tell myself my identity is not going to change my mind Clanton won the Watersound Invitational with rounds of 73-66-67 His performance also helped the Seminoles win the team title There is a bitter-sweet angle to this story as Clanton will not be with his Florida State teammates at the Cabo Collegiate Classic this week and to lock up his professional status just 65 miles from his hometown of Haileah where he learned the game would be a cherry on top of this incredible run he’s been on the last eight months Open at Pinehurst.Clanton will tee it up at 7:07 am off the tenth tee with Max Greyserman and Daniel Berger Luke Clanton's furious cutline charge was memorable even if his run at his PGA Tour card came up short Luke Clanton’s hands immediately covered his face The world’s top-ranked amateur had just emptied the tank during the final eight holes of his second round at the WM Phoenix Open Clanton entered the week needing to make the cut to earn his 20th PGA Tour University Accelerated point and earn his PGA Tour card the 21-year-old Florida State junior reached his eleventh hole five shots off the projected cutline before mounting an electric cutline charge to secure his PGA Tour future Clanton poured in a 28-footer for birdie at 11 and then nearly holed an eagle chip at the par-5 13th Clanton had a tremendous look at eagle at the par-5 15th 6-inch eagle putt stalled out a half-inch short Clanton saved par with a nice up-and-down at No 16 and then made easy work of the drivable par-4 17th for a birdie that got him to within one of the cut line Clanton’s run transformed what could have been a sleepy tour Friday into a must-see 90 minutes as he mounted a furious charge toward his Tour card He hammered his drive 345 yards to give himself a great angle to go at the front left pin Clanton flew his approach shot 20 feet past the flag He stalked his cut-making putt for quite some time before finally lining it up and confidentially rolling it toward his destiny Delayed not denied.  Amateur Luke Clanton needed a birdie to potentially make the cut and earn a final@PGATOURU Accelerated point, the @FSUGolf junior came up just short on No. 18. pic.twitter.com/K1xu0gSVVm Justin Thomas approached Clanton and offered some advice for the amateur to lean on “You’re going to win a bunch out here,” Thomas said Clanton offered some perspective after the round understanding that he will reach his goals — Friday just wasn’t his time I’m not going to lie,” Clanton told Golf Channel after the round “I kind of kept trying to tell myself that my identity is not going to change no matter if I make the cut or miss the cut It’s not going to go your way all the time Clanton will have more opportunities to earn his 20th PGA Tour University Accelerated point before his time runs out at the end of the semester He is currently in the Valspar Championship and has three other sponsor exemptions he could use A made cut at the Valspar or another tournament would secure that elusive final point Clanton is also a heavy favorite to win the Hogan Award The Hogan Award is given to the top collegiate player since last year’s NCAA championships It takes in all levels of play during that time A Hogan Award win is worth three PGA Tour University Accelerated points Clanton’s cutline run was a brief reminder of some things the PGA Tour is getting right even while it stumbles through a period of uncertainty and the emotion Clanton displayed on his charge to play the weekend reminded us that Friday coverage should focus more on the cutline we get bogged down in the zero-sum nature of wins and losses Cuts matter because two more days mean another paycheck another opportunity for points to keep your card Clanton’s Friday fireworks also shined a spotlight on the PGA Tour’s decision to revamp the pathway program to get young stars to the tour quicker than before PGA Tour University Accelerated got Ludvig Aberg his card and Vanderbilt’s Gordon Sargent will arrive next year There’s an influx of young talent on the way and the PGA Tour should benefit in a way it previously didn’t before the advent of the accelerated path there has been much discussion about sponsor exemptions in tournaments The WM Phoenix Open has always done a good job of giving spots to rising young stars at the amateur level and Clanton’s spot in this week’s event was the latest example of a tournament doling out a coveted spot to a budding young star whose exposure will be good for the game Clanton captivated a golfing audience Friday afternoon offering a reminder that what draws so many to golf is not the final posting on the leaderboard come Sunday It’s about the mental examination the game puts you through and what you learn about yourself in the process “It was a great day today,” Clanton said I had to make five birdies in my last eight holes and put four up and had a great chance on 18 I’m going to walk in my faith and keep understanding that it’s not my time man,” Clanton said with a smile after his near miss Josh Schrock is a writer and reporter for Golf.com Josh was the Chicago Bears insider for NBC Sports Chicago He previously covered the 49ers and Warriors for NBC Sports Bay Area Josh spends his free time hiking with his wife and dog thinking of how the Ducks will break his heart again and trying to become semi-proficient at chipping Josh will never stop trying to break 90 and never lose faith that Rory McIlroy’s major drought will end (updated: he did it) All of our market picks are independently selected and curated by the editorial team 1 amateur has been a familiar presence on TOUR leaderboards since last summer – while staying at Florida State University to pursue a national championship Clanton could ensure that a TOUR card is waiting for him after the upcoming spring semester who is competing at the Sony Open on a sponsor exemption has accrued 17 PGA TOUR University Accelerated points just three points short of the requisite 20 points to earn a PGA TOUR card With a top-five finish at Waialae Country Club the Florida State junior would earn three points (A top-10 finish would earn two points; a made cut would earn one point.) The South Florida native made eight TOUR starts in 2024 highlighted by top-five finishes at the John Deere Classic (T2) The RSM Classic (T2) and the Wyndham Championship (solo fifth) nearly chasing down Neal Shipley for low amateur honors and ultimately finishing T41 at Pinehurst No That was shortly after Clanton led the Seminoles to a runner-up finish at the 2024 NCAA Championship falling to Auburn in the final by a 3-2 margin Why Luke Clanton plays four different iron types Clanton felt the intensity of that defeat and didn’t want to abandon another run at a championship He has maintained this sentiment despite ample tastes of TOUR contention – like at The RSM Classic in November where he made bogey on the 72nd hole to finish one back of winner Maverick McNealy the one goal we have is to win,” Clanton said after The RSM Classic “I think PGA TOUR U's been a great opportunity for all of us as college players who have these kind of talents and go pro sooner Clanton, who is pacing to earn another PGA TOUR University Accelerated point on Feb. 5, by reaching 26 weeks as the world’s top-ranked amateur, could also defer his TOUR card for a year if he elects to return to school. Will he have the chance to make that decision? He’s on the doorstep. Luke Clanton’s support from parents at Rocket Mortgage and is used in the Korn Ferry Tour logo with permission.