Luke Clanton, a 20-year-old sensation from the United States, has secured the prestigious Mark H. McCormack Medal, awarded to the leading male golfer in the 2024 World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR).
This victory not only marks a significant milestone in Clanton’s career but also grants him coveted exemptions into the 2025 US Open at Oakmont Country Club and The 153rd Open at Royal Portrush.
“Winning the McCormack Medal is an honour I will cherish forever,” Clanton shared, reflecting on the achievement. “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’s rise to the top of the men’s ranking was cemented after an impressive Round of 64 victory at the US Amateur held at Hazeltine National Golf Club.
Throughout the summer, Clanton made waves on the PGA TOUR, becoming the first amateur since 1958 to record consecutive top-10 finishes.
After securing a T-10 finish at the 2024 Rocket Mortgage Classic, Clanton followed it up with a runner-up performance at the John Deere Classic.
His summer wrapped up with a solo fifth-place finish at the Wyndham Championship in North Carolina.
Clanton’s US Open debut at Pinehurst was equally remarkable. He made history as the first amateur to record consecutive rounds in the 60s with back-to-back 69s in the second and third rounds, eventually finishing T-41.
His consistent performances have firmly established him as one of the brightest young stars in the game.
During the collegiate season at Florida State University, Clanton continued to shine, finishing fifth in both the Atlantic Coast Conference Championship and the NCAA Stanford Regional, leading the Seminoles to the NCAA Championship.
Although the team fell to Auburn in the championship final, Clanton’s individual performance was outstanding, sharing runner-up honours with five others at the NCAA Division I Championship, just one stroke behind Georgia Tech’s Hiroshi Tai.
In match play, Clanton went 2-1, losing only to Auburn’s JM Butler in the championship match.
Clanton’s amateur career has been on a steady upward trajectory since 2021 when he advanced to the semi-finals of the US Junior Amateur at The Country Club of North Carolina.
He also qualified for match play in last year’s US Amateur, showcasing his consistency and resilience on the course.
Reflecting on Clanton’s accomplishment, Professor Steve Otto, chief technology officer at The R&A, remarked, “We would like to congratulate Luke on this outstanding achievement as he follows in the footsteps of the notable names who have won this prestigious award in previous years.
His outstanding results over the past year demonstrate the high standards he has set himself and he is a thoroughly deserving recipient of the medal.”
USGA Chief Championships Officer John Bodenhamer added, “Luke has proven that he is a future star in the game, and we’re thrilled to see him accept this honour and reap the benefits that come with such special recognition.
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.”
This accolade comes hot on the heels of England’s Lottie Woad, also of Florida State, receiving the women’s McCormack Medal, marking the first time in history that two individuals from the same school have won the McCormack Medals in the same year.
The McCormack Medal is co-awarded annually by The R&A and the USGA in honour of Mark H. McCormack, the founder of IMG and a significant supporter of amateur golf.
The World Amateur Golf Ranking, supported by Rolex, was established in 2007 with the men’s ranking and later expanded to include the women’s ranking in 2011.
Today, the men’s ranking includes over 3,900 events, ranking 4,660 players from 118 countries, while the women’s ranking features 2,650 events with more than 3,033 ranked players from 90 countries.
