Top Amateurs Chase PGA Tour Cards at Torrey Pines

SAN DIEGO, Calif. – Two of the world’s top amateur golfers, Luke Clanton and Jackson Koivun, are teeing off at Torrey Pines this week with a chance to secure PGA Tour cards through the PGA Tour University Accelerated program. The Farmers Insurance Open, running from January 22-25, offers a unique opportunity for the collegiate stars to earn professional status.

Clanton, a junior at Florida State University and ranked No. 1 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking, and Koivun, a sophomore at Auburn University, each have 17 points in the PGA Tour U Accelerated program. They need just three more points to reach the 20-point threshold required for a Tour card. A rule change now allows them to earn points at PGA Tour events, making this week’s tournament pivotal.

To secure the necessary points, both players must first make the cut, which awards one point. A top-10 finish adds another point, while a top-five finish earns two points. If either Clanton or Koivun makes the cut and finishes in the top five, they will lock up their PGA Tour cards and face the decision of when to turn professional.

Koivun, the reigning Haskins, Hogan, and Nicklaus Award winner, is unlikely to turn pro immediately. “I don’t plan to leave college soon,” he said. Similarly, Gordon Sargent, the first player to earn 20 points through the program, chose to return to Vanderbilt for his senior year before joining the PGA Tour in May.

Clanton, however, may be more inclined to turn pro after his junior year. With two runner-up finishes on the PGA Tour since last summer, he is a strong contender for the Hogan Award, which awards three points to the top amateur over the past 12 months. Even if he doesn’t earn the points this week, he is well-positioned to reach the 20-point threshold soon.

Koivun is also on track to earn his points by 2025. He is expected to make the U.S. Walker Cup team in September, worth two points, and the Arnold Palmer Cup team this summer, worth one point. These events alone would push him past the 20-point mark.

The Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines is one of the most prestigious tournaments on the PGA Tour schedule. For Clanton and Koivun, it represents a rare opportunity to fast-track their professional careers. “There’s plenty on the line,” Clanton said. “We’re here to compete and see where it takes us.”

In addition to the amateurs, four Florida State alumni – Vincent Norrman, John Pak, Daniel Berger, and Cristobal Del Solar – are also competing this week. Norrman has made the cut in his first two PGA events this season, while Berger tied for 21st at The American Express. Del Solar, who earned his PGA Tour card in 2024, is making his third start of the season.

Meanwhile, Florida State alum Hank Lebioda recently won the Bahamas Golf Classic at Atlantis Paradise Island, finishing 18-under par. He is now competing in the final round of The Bahamas Great Abaco Classic, sitting at 16-under par.

For more updates on Florida State men’s golf, follow their social media channels on Instagram (fsumensgolf), X (FSUGolf), and Facebook (FSUMensGolf).