Florida State University Athletics
Clanton Named McCormack Award Winner As Top Amateur Golfer
8/21/2024 9:26:00 AM | Men's Golf
TALLAHASSEE – Florida State's Luke Clanton, who set the Florida State record for the lowest single-season stroke average in 2024, has been named the winner of the Mark H. McCormack Medal as the top male golfer in the 2024 World Amateur Golf Ranking. Clanton is the No. 1 ranked golfer in the WAGR for the second consecutive week (August 21, 2024) as he has earned the No. 1 spot in the WAGR for the first time in his career.
Clanton (2024 male McCormack Medal winner) and Seminole All-American Lottie Woad (2024 female McCormack Medal winner) makes the Florida State duo the first pair of golfers from the same school to win the McCormack Medal in the same year.
Clanton is ranked as the No. 1 male in the current WAGR for the second consecutive week, while Woad is ranked as the No. 1 female for the fourth consecutive week.
The McCormack Medal is presented annually and awarded by the R&A and the USGA. The R&A, based in St. Andrews, Scotland, and the USGA govern the sport of golf worldwide.
The McCormack Medal winner receives exemptions into the 2025 U.S. Open at Oakmont (Pa.) Country Club and The Open at Royal Portrush.
"Winning the McCormack Medal is an honor I will cherish forever," said Clanton. "This award represents not just my efforts, but also the incredible family support I have. This will inspire me to keep pushing boundaries and to pursue my dreams with even greater determination. I'm proud to join the ranks of those who have achieved this distinction."
Clanton earned All-American First-Team Honors, was an All-Southeast Region selection, an All-ACC selection, and was a finalist for both the Jack Nicklaus and Fred Haskins Award as the National Player of the Year in 2024.
Clanton's career stroke average entering his junior season of 70.35 is the second-lowest in school history. The all-time school-record for lowest career stroke average is 69.87 by John Pak (2019-21).
In earning the lowest single-season stroke average in school history as a sophomore in 2024, Clanton became the first player in school history to win three consecutive tournament championships. He won the championships of the Seminole Intercollegiate (-11, 205), the Valspar Collegiate Invitational (-14, 199), and the Lewis Chitengwa Memorial (-15, 198) in route to earning All-American honors for the second time in his career. Clanton earned All-American Honorable Mention honors as a freshman in 2023.
Clanton played in five PGA Tour Events during summer of 2024 – The US Open (tied for 41st), the Rocket Mortgage Classic (tied for 10th), the John Deere Classic (tied for second), the ISCO Championship (tied for 37th place) and the Wyndham Championship (5th). His tied for 10th place finish at the Rocket Mortgage Classic and tied for second place finish at the John Deere Classic made him the first amateur to record top-10 finishes in back-to-back starts on the PGA Tour since Billy Joe Patton in 1957. Clanton's tied for 10th place finished at the Rocket Mortgage Classic in his second career start on the PGA Tour came as he carded a 65 during the third round, the low round of the day.
Clanton is the first player since Jack Nicklaus in 1961 to record three top-10 finishes in the same season as an amateur on the PGA Tour.
"We are so very proud of Luke for winning the McCormack Medal," said Seminole Head Coach Trey Jones. "He has worked to become the golfer he is today, and we are excited for what the world of golf has in store for him. Florida State University and the FSU Department of Athletics provides outstanding resources that allow all of our student-athletes to be successful as competitors and in the classroom."
Established in 2007, the McCormack Medal is named after the late founder of sports marketing company IMG and is awarded to the player ranked number one in the WAGR following The Amateur, the U.S. Amateur or the European Amateur, whichever event is held later in the year.
"Luke has proven that he is a future star in the game, and we're thrilled to see him accept this honor and reap the benefits that come with such special recognition," said USGA Chief Championships Officer John Bodenhamer. "To perform consistently at such a high level and deliver outstanding performances reflects the hard work and dedication that Luke has applied as an elite amateur golfer. We look forward to seeing his career continue to prosper in the years ahead."
Florida State opens its fall schedule at the Folds of Honor Collegiate (Sep. 9-11) at the American Dunes Golf Club in Grand Haven, Mich.
Mark H. McCormack Medal Winners
2024, Luke Clanton, Florida State
2023, Gordon Sargent, Vanderbilt
2022, Keita Nakajima, Nippon Sports Science University
2021, Keita Nakajima, Nippon Sports Science University
2020, Takumi Kanaya, Tohoku Fukishi University
2019, Cole Hammer, Texas
2018, Braden Thornberry, Ole Miss
2017, Joaquin Niemann
2016, Maverick McNealy, Stanford
2015, Jon Rahm-Rodriguez, Arizona State
2014, Oliver Schniederjans, Georgia Tech
2013, Matthew Fitzpatrick, Northwestern
2012, Chris Williams, Washington
2011, Patrick Cantlay, UCLA
2010, Peter Uihlein, Oklahoma State
2009, Nick Taylor, Washington
2008, Danny Lee
2007, Colt Knost, SMU
Clanton (2024 male McCormack Medal winner) and Seminole All-American Lottie Woad (2024 female McCormack Medal winner) makes the Florida State duo the first pair of golfers from the same school to win the McCormack Medal in the same year.
Clanton is ranked as the No. 1 male in the current WAGR for the second consecutive week, while Woad is ranked as the No. 1 female for the fourth consecutive week.
The McCormack Medal is presented annually and awarded by the R&A and the USGA. The R&A, based in St. Andrews, Scotland, and the USGA govern the sport of golf worldwide.
The McCormack Medal winner receives exemptions into the 2025 U.S. Open at Oakmont (Pa.) Country Club and The Open at Royal Portrush.
"Winning the McCormack Medal is an honor I will cherish forever," said Clanton. "This award represents not just my efforts, but also the incredible family support I have. This will inspire me to keep pushing boundaries and to pursue my dreams with even greater determination. I'm proud to join the ranks of those who have achieved this distinction."
Clanton earned All-American First-Team Honors, was an All-Southeast Region selection, an All-ACC selection, and was a finalist for both the Jack Nicklaus and Fred Haskins Award as the National Player of the Year in 2024.
Clanton's career stroke average entering his junior season of 70.35 is the second-lowest in school history. The all-time school-record for lowest career stroke average is 69.87 by John Pak (2019-21).
In earning the lowest single-season stroke average in school history as a sophomore in 2024, Clanton became the first player in school history to win three consecutive tournament championships. He won the championships of the Seminole Intercollegiate (-11, 205), the Valspar Collegiate Invitational (-14, 199), and the Lewis Chitengwa Memorial (-15, 198) in route to earning All-American honors for the second time in his career. Clanton earned All-American Honorable Mention honors as a freshman in 2023.
Clanton played in five PGA Tour Events during summer of 2024 – The US Open (tied for 41st), the Rocket Mortgage Classic (tied for 10th), the John Deere Classic (tied for second), the ISCO Championship (tied for 37th place) and the Wyndham Championship (5th). His tied for 10th place finish at the Rocket Mortgage Classic and tied for second place finish at the John Deere Classic made him the first amateur to record top-10 finishes in back-to-back starts on the PGA Tour since Billy Joe Patton in 1957. Clanton's tied for 10th place finished at the Rocket Mortgage Classic in his second career start on the PGA Tour came as he carded a 65 during the third round, the low round of the day.
Clanton is the first player since Jack Nicklaus in 1961 to record three top-10 finishes in the same season as an amateur on the PGA Tour.
"We are so very proud of Luke for winning the McCormack Medal," said Seminole Head Coach Trey Jones. "He has worked to become the golfer he is today, and we are excited for what the world of golf has in store for him. Florida State University and the FSU Department of Athletics provides outstanding resources that allow all of our student-athletes to be successful as competitors and in the classroom."
Established in 2007, the McCormack Medal is named after the late founder of sports marketing company IMG and is awarded to the player ranked number one in the WAGR following The Amateur, the U.S. Amateur or the European Amateur, whichever event is held later in the year.
"Luke has proven that he is a future star in the game, and we're thrilled to see him accept this honor and reap the benefits that come with such special recognition," said USGA Chief Championships Officer John Bodenhamer. "To perform consistently at such a high level and deliver outstanding performances reflects the hard work and dedication that Luke has applied as an elite amateur golfer. We look forward to seeing his career continue to prosper in the years ahead."
Florida State opens its fall schedule at the Folds of Honor Collegiate (Sep. 9-11) at the American Dunes Golf Club in Grand Haven, Mich.
Mark H. McCormack Medal Winners
2024, Luke Clanton, Florida State
2023, Gordon Sargent, Vanderbilt
2022, Keita Nakajima, Nippon Sports Science University
2021, Keita Nakajima, Nippon Sports Science University
2020, Takumi Kanaya, Tohoku Fukishi University
2019, Cole Hammer, Texas
2018, Braden Thornberry, Ole Miss
2017, Joaquin Niemann
2016, Maverick McNealy, Stanford
2015, Jon Rahm-Rodriguez, Arizona State
2014, Oliver Schniederjans, Georgia Tech
2013, Matthew Fitzpatrick, Northwestern
2012, Chris Williams, Washington
2011, Patrick Cantlay, UCLA
2010, Peter Uihlein, Oklahoma State
2009, Nick Taylor, Washington
2008, Danny Lee
2007, Colt Knost, SMU
Players Mentioned
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