U.S. AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP

August 15, 2024

Luke Clanton

Hazeltine National Golf Club

Quick Quotes

Q. Helluva match.

LUKE CLANTON: Thank you.

Q. You had a little longer embrace than normally you see in a shaking hands situation. What did he tell you?

LUKE CLANTON: I know him pretty well. It's kind of hard to go against one of your good buddies out here, but I told him God's on his side. He's doing great with everything. He's super faithful towards Christ.

Me and him are both believers, so seeing him out there and for him to do that, I mean, no matter which way it went, it was a great match. It was a lot of fun.

Q. You looked at the draw today, and you obviously knew you were facing a guy that's a topnotch college player, a guy that's played The Open, a guy that's been around.

LUKE CLANTON: He's really good at golf, yeah.

Q. That's a tough draw.

LUKE CLANTON: It's the USA. Like what do you expect? You're not going to get easy matches all the time. He's a good buddy of mine. He played really well, and I don't see him losing much. So it's going to be fun to watch.

Q. What's the biggest lesson you learned about yourself this summer from NCAAs to now?

LUKE CLANTON: Just learning golf's not everything, I think. Get a little too obsessed with it sometimes and kind of get too focused in on it. Realizing that I've got a great family, great girlfriend, great friends. Realizing that golf is just a game and you don't have to be too hard on yourself all the time.

It was awesome. This is like what you train for to be in those positions. So it was fun. It was good.

Q. What's next for Luke Clanton? Going to take a little bit of a break? You've been on such a whirlwind here these last few months.

LUKE CLANTON: I'm pretty pumped to go back and play for FSU. So I'm excited to do that. I'm excited to go see Trey and all the guys. It's going to fun.

Q. Are you thinking about Walker Cup next year at Cypress at all?

LUKE CLANTON: Of course. No joke. As an amateur, that's what you want to do, so of course.

Q. Was there anything in the match that was a turning point?

LUKE CLANTON: Both hit really good shots all day, man. That's just how it is. It just goes one way or the other, and it went his way. Super happy for him. He's a great dude. Just so excited to see what he does.

Q. What about that shot from 18? We couldn't see his lie over there, but to be able to pull it off from the rough with how penal it's been this week.

LUKE CLANTON: Yeah, he's a great chipper (laughter). I don't expect anything else out of him. I knew I had to make that putt, it just didn't go in. That's how it happens.

Q. How close was your last putt?

LUKE CLANTON: 20 feet.

Q. But how close to coming in?

LUKE CLANTON: Oh, out of line with the hole, so simple as that.