FSU Golfer Luke Canton Signs NIL Collective Deal to Stay In College

The rising junior will remain at Florida State for the 2024-25 collegiate season and forgo turning professional early

Jul 5, 2024; Silvis, Illinois, USA; Luke Clanton talks with his caddie on the ninth hole during the second round of the John Deere Classic golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Joseph Cress-USA TODAY Sports / Joseph Cress-USA TODAY Sports

Luke Clanton has been on fire this summer. The rising junior at Florida State has reached the second overall spot in the World Amateur Golf Rankings and, with another solid finish at the PGA Tour's ISCO championship this past week, looks to continue closing the gap on Vanderbilt's Gordon Sargent for the title of best amateur golfer in the world. Make no mistake; the only thing amateur about Clanton is his inability to cash in on on-course earnings from the tournaments he plays in. 

The twenty-year-old was one of three amateurs to make the cut at the U.S. Open at Pinehurst last month during his first major start. It was in the following weeks that his budding fame would transcend into golf folklore. Clanton, leveraging his impressive U.S. Open finish, secured a sponsor’s exemption to compete in the PGA’s Rocket Mortgage Championship, finishing in tenth place. Riding his hot streak, Clanton accepted yet another exemption to the John Deere Classic the following week, where he made history by finishing in second place with a score of -24 and became the only amateur golfer in the modern era to earn back-to-back top-10 finishes on the PGA Tour. 

While some have speculated that this run could culminate in Clanton declaring as a professional and capitalizing off of his historic summer, the rising junior has remained steadfast in his commitment to continuing his collegiate career. The cumulative earnings Clanton would have received from his four weeks of events if he were a professional would have netted him roughly $1,000,000 — not too shabby for a month’s work. Clanton told GOLF Magazine, “I play golf to play golf. I think being able to play golf with your buddies every single day, it’s something you don’t get very much. I’ve got 12 dudes on that team that I absolutely love, so it’s awesome… I think goal No. 1 is to win a national championship with my team.” 

Part of his reason for abstaining from the tour life for at least another year is NIL; in the same interview, he discussed the money floating around in the college golf space: “I think it’s enough for a college student, for sure. I think it’s — I don’t really need a lot of money right now. I’m 20 years old, still at Florida State University. It’s enough to handle what we have here and to be able to travel. I think it’s good.” The Battle’s End, Florida States’ NIL Collective, has now ensured that Clanton’s definition of “enough” is met. 

We are THRILLED to announce a relationship with Luke Clanton, one of the top amateur golfers in the world!

Welcome to the family, young man!

Directly support Luke and other FSU Players by joining The Battle's End at https://t.co/4K6THgccO6#ReadytoRespond pic.twitter.com/3QhgAGf4fF

— The Battle's End (@TheBattlesEnd) July 12, 2024

The two parties have agreed on a deal to keep Clanton at Florida State for another year. While NIL deals from collectives predicated on athletic talent are predominately reserved for football and men’s basketball players, elite caliber athletes of any sport, regardless of gender, can sign such a deal. In a press release from The Battle’s End, CEO Ingram Smith stated, “Luke is the embodiment of a Battle’s End athlete. He was an elite prospect who has flourished during his time at Florida State…We are thrilled to be able to make sure he has a best-in-class NIL experience as he spends the rest of his collegiate career at FSU.”

Last year, the Seminole Golf Team fell to Auburn in the national championship match and finished as the sixth-ranked team in the coaches poll. The willingness of The Battle’s End and FSU donors to spend money to retain Clanton guarantees a chance for FSU to avenge their runner-up finish and makes the Seminoles a strong candidate to bring a national championship home to Tallahassee. For Clanton, he will receive a salary via NIL to play golf. While it is likely he will remain a prominent force in NCAA competition, no matter how his season goes, he will receive compensation –– the same could not be said for a jump to the professional circuit. 

The high visibility of Clanton in the sporting world over the past month is very helpful to Florida State in illustrating to the rest of the nation, potential recruits, and alumni (potential NIL donors) the strength of Florida State athletics. According to Smith, “We have already received a broad response to our announcement from members, fans, and even other athletes. Within five minutes of us putting the announcement on Instagram, All-ACC football players Pat Payton and Shyheim Brown commented on the post welcoming Luke to the TBE Family.” 

While not common, it is important to remember that NIL Collectives can serve more than just revenue athletes. Leveraging elite athletes in less notable collegiate sports can advance the mission of the athletic department, often at a much cheaper total cost. For athletes in individual sports, taking NIL Collective deals subjects them to less risk than earning a living on tour without a set salary.