Luke Clanton on turning pro, turning up in Canada, and turning down LIV Golf - maybe

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CALEDON, Ont. — Luke Clanton had never been to Canada and has never played a golf tournament as a professional.

This week, one of the game’s top prospects will be checking both off his list at the RBC Canadian Open.

The magnitude of the occasion hit the 21-year-old while in the air on his way to TPC Toronto, where the action begins on Thursday.

“I think the moment it hit me was when we were flying to Canada,” he said on Tuesday. “We had to bring a passport and everything. I remember I got on the flight and I was like, ‘dang, this is my first PGA Tour start ever.'”

The world’s No. 1-ranked amateur golfer already has played 13 PGA Tour events over the past two years, including runner-up finishes at both  the RSM Classic and John Deere Classic last year.

But this week is different.

“To be here and to call myself a professional is a little bit, honestly, a little bit weird,” he said. “It’s amazing. I’m just excited to come out here and compete. It’s not about the money. It’s not about any of the fame. It’s about competing with these guys on Tour.

“It’s something I’ve chased for my whole, entire life and especially my family.”

With the college season at Florida State recently finished and after securing the points he needed to earn PGA Tour membership via the PGA Tour University Accelerated program, Clanton’s professional career is set to begin.

As one of the game’s brightest young talents, he was asked on Tuesday whether any advances were made to him by LIV Golf and gave a clear answer without technically answering the question.

“I want to play the PGA Tour, pretty simple,” he said. “I want to play against the best, I want to compete in majors, and that’s it. Simple.”