JOHN DEERE CLASSIC

July 7, 2024

Luke Clanton

TPC Deere Run

Quick Quotes

Q. How about a recap of an incredible week at the John Deere Classic.

LUKE CLANTON: Yeah. It was good for sure. I mean, we came into the week with pretty high expectations I guess you could say after last week. I think I kind of reached that expectation for sure.

Of course you want to win. But again, to do what I did out there today was awesome. It's just a blessing to be here, man. It's unreal to make a birdie on the last hole and do all that.

Seeing Michael as well play well, it was just awesome.

Q. For a second when your putt went in I think you were in the driver's seat for The Open; looks Luke CT pan needs to par in. Were you thinking about The Open at any point?

LUKE CLANTON: No. I had no clue that The Open was even a qualifier. I was just playing golf. I heard about that at CBS and she told me that CT needed to make Par. I think he did, so he's in The Open.

Again, incredible week for sure.

Q. Do you go to ISCO with an (a) behind your name?

LUKE CLANTON: Yeah.

Q. As someone who has spent time in Miami, (indiscernible) is not exactly a golf paradise I would say. Can you talk about what it means for you to have this opportunity - I don't want to say coming out of a place like that -- but somewhere golf is definitely not a popular sport?

LUKE CLANTON: Yeah, I grew up playing on plastic and artificial greens and played with U.S. Kids' golf clubs until I was like 11, 12 years old. To me I think the game of golf is awesome because you can learn it any way.

Now I have to drive up hour and a half, two hours to go to certain golf courses. It's been unbelievable. So the kind of journey I've been on and now here doing this is pretty sweet.

Q. You were obviously very emotional on the 18th green, fired up. What did that moment, making a big putt in front of a big crowd, how much hungrier does that make you to be a professional golfer, to be out here?

LUKE CLANTON: Yeah, I mean, it just kind of proves again to me I know I can win out here. I think I don't want to sound cocky or anything, but I wanted to prove to myself I can do it. After last week, being up there and in contention and this week being hopefully in second place, whatever it is, it just kind of shows me if I keep grinding and doing my thing I'll be all right.

Q. You mentioned you were looking forward to some rest after the John Deere Classic. Does your finish here change that? Are you going to add things to your schedule?

LUKE CLANTON: I'm going to the ISCO right after that and then I have a week off. So I'll go back home, hang out with some buddies, chill out, actually live life a little bit again and not be on the airplane so much.

But it's been awesome.

Q. You said you knew you were playing for a potential spot in The Open. Would you have taken that? What would that have done to your schedule? How would that have affected things moving forward?

LUKE CLANTON: Well, I didn't know if I was playing for The Open or not. I don't think I got in. It would have changed a lot of things for sure. I would've had to fly overseas.

Q. You would've gone?

LUKE CLANTON: Yeah. You got to play The Open Championship for sure. That's no joke. It's cool to come close to making it of course, but I didn't realize you could make it so it was awesome.

Q. A little history: You're the first amateur in 66 years -- I know that because that's how old I am -- who has a top 10 in a pro tournament two weeks in a row. What does that say to you?

LUKE CLANTON: I didn't even know that either. I promise you, man, I'm pretty simple when it comes to all this. That's awesome to even realize that. Making a little bit more history is pretty sweet no doubt. Couple more events coming up so hopefully we can win one.