Q. Solid round today. When you walked to scoring you said, that was fun. Was it really fun?
LUKE CLANTON: Yeah, I was having a blast on hole number, I think it was 6, but it was a fun day today. It was a grind. I hit it actually really well. Just got some unlucky breaks coming in.
To make two birdies on the last three to finish up strong is pretty nice.
Q. I was going to say, that's the mark of a solid pro golfer when you suffer that adversity there, the double, and then come back with two consecutive birdies.
LUKE CLANTON: To be honest with you, I really didn't hit a bad shot on 6, which sounds really stupid. Honestly, it was, because felt like I hit it good and kept hitting it in the trees.
Realizing we had three good holes to play and good golf shots could give you chances for birdies, and that's what I did.
Q. What are you learning about yourself? You played the U.S. Open, made the cut; 10th last week at Rocket Mortgage; going to be in the hunt this weekend.
LUKE CLANTON: Yeah, I mean, it's pretty nuts when you say it like that. All I'm trying to do right now is stay within myself and understand that it's just a game as well.
I'm having fun out there no matter what. To make some birdies on the side is pretty sweet, no doubt, but I am just having a lot of fun.
Q. You hearing from old friends you hadn't heard from in a long time with your success?
LUKE CLANTON: No, I got a close group and those guys are brothers to me, so it's awesome that they reach out all the time. It's pretty cool.
Q. What's the key on the weekend?
LUKE CLANTON: Go out and play some more golf. Simple as that.
Q. Are you surprising yourself at all by getting on these leaderboards? Nothing rattles you.
LUKE CLANTON: Not really. I don't want to sound cocky or boastful at all, but we've trained to what we're doing here. Honestly, college golf is tough. It prepares us for these kind of moments and these kind of golf courses, and now that I'm in contention for the second week in a row, it's pretty sweet.
I know where I'm at and what to do now. I had a lot of learning last week and I'm excited.
Q. Can you tell me about the double at 6 there.
LUKE CLANTON: Yeah, it was just fun. It was a blast honestly. I mean, we hadn't really made a mistake all week, and made one tiny mistake and made double.
I knew it was all right. Going to make birdie, birdie no matter what.
Q. You knew you were going to make birdie, birdie?
LUKE CLANTON: I knew I was going to make birdie, birdie.
Q. Now you're sounding cocky.
LUKE CLANTON: I knew it. I knew after I got that double, I said to myself, we ain't finishing at 10-under; we're going to finish at 12.
Q. Woke you up?
LUKE CLANTON: Yeah, it did. No doubt.
Q. Bad lie there?
LUKE CLANTON: Yeah, just whatever. I hit a crappy 2-iron off the tee and just unfortunate break to be by that tree. Tried it pull off a Tiger shot and didn't do it.
It's whatever. It's going to happen and you're going to handle adversity no matter what. I knew the last three holes were pretty gettable with the wind and how they were. To hit what I did in the last three is pretty cool.
Q. Where does that fearlessness come from?
LUKE CLANTON: Honestly, knowing it's just the game of golf. I mean to me, I think I have fun every time I hit a golf shot. I don't think there is a difference between from here to college. I think it's kind of the same mindset for me.
It's just I love committing to a golf shot no matter what it is. If it's a tough golf shot, it'll be fun. I'm just having fun out there, man. That's it.
Q. Explain to me, are you too young as a rising junior to be on the Palmer?
LUKE CLANTON: Palmer Cup?
Q. Yeah.
LUKE CLANTON: I was invited to go and then I declined to come here to play a PGA TOUR event. It was an honor to be nominated for the Palmer Cup as well. I emailed them and said thank you so much to be invited there.
I just really wanted to play a PGA TOUR event, so...
Q. What have you learned about yourself the last two weeks? Anything that has taken you by surprise?
LUKE CLANTON: Not really, to be honest with you. I'm just having fun. I'm going to say that over and over because it's the truth. I'm not really trying to think too much about it all.
I know it's a little bit different if I win or whatever, do well, but to me it's just the game of golf, man. That's it.
Q. Still resolute about -- if you're holding that Deere trophy on Monday you're still resolute you're going back to school?
LUKE CLANTON: We'll see. Simple as that.
Q. There it is. Nick said he's going back, and it's hard. It's a tough decision.
LUKE CLANTON: We have two more days of golf. We got to do that first.
Q. Your caddie was telling me his ten-year-old daughter got him on the bag for you.
LUKE CLANTON: Well, basically, yeah. She asked me how far I hit my pitching wedge, and he showed up out of nowhere. Started caddieing for me at the North-South and won the North-South, so it's been an awesome journey between me and him for sure.
Q. Sounds a little -- has that Greller-Spieth vibe to it.
LUKE CLANTON: Yeah, I mean, you call it the Clanton, but I call it the Clanton-(indiscernible.) That's what I call it.
Q. What keeps you so grounded?
LUKE CLANTON: Being blessed, man. Just to be even out here playing golf is just unreal. Man above has given me these opportunities to be in contention for these events and understand that I got my family on the side, my girlfriend here, everything like that. It's been just awesome to be out here.
Q. Anybody on TOUR got in your ear and talked to you about what it's like?
LUKE CLANTON: Yeah, I mean, Brooks. Brooks was a big one for me. I think he was -- he helped me a lot with just staying calmer through rounds and understanding that take it one shot at a time. Sounds simple as it is, but when you're out there and trying to chase birdies, it gets caught up in your head.
So I realized just taking it one shot at a time. Understanding that I'm going to hit bad golf shots; it's not going to be perfect all the time. Just understanding that.
Q. How many rounds have you played with Brooks?
LUKE CLANTON: Couple. Just couple times, yeah.
Q. What was it like playing with Scottie?
LUKE CLANTON: Unreal. Yeah, Scottie is Scottie. Best player in the world. I think by a mile right now.
I talked to him a bunch about his faith and my faith and understanding that he said to me, golf is just a game. It doesn't identify who I am. When he said that to me it kind of clicked, because it's understanding that this game of golf doesn't identify who I am off the golf course, on the golf course. Again, I'm just having fun.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports