Gianna Clemente, the top-ranked golfer in the Class of 2026, won’t be signing during next Wednesday’s early signing period. Instead, the 17-year-old from Estero, Florida, has decided to turn professional and compete for an LPGA card at Final Qualifying next month.
Golf Channel’s Grant Boone reported that the LPGA approved a waiver for Clemente, who doesn’t turn 18 until March 28. She recently advanced through the second stage of LPGA Q-School right on the cut line.
“It’s been such a long time coming,” Clemente told Golf Channel on Wednesday’s Golf Today. “Obviously, I took my time making this decision. I took a couple college visits, but I’ve wanted to play professional golf my whole life. I’m thrilled to be able to go compete at Q-School for my LPGA tour card.”
Clemente has been turning heads in golf circles for years. At just 11, she qualified for the U.S. Women’s Amateur. But she really broke through in 2022 when, at 14, she became the youngest player ever to Monday-qualify for three straight LPGA events.
Her amateur resume is already stacked. She won the 2023 U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball with Aver Zweig, captured The Sally and Girl’s Junior PGA that same year, and finished fifth at the 2024 Augusta National Women’s Amateur. Her performance earned her the AJGA’s Rolex Junior Player of the Year honor.
She’s not exactly new to professional competition either. Clemente has already made 10 career LPGA starts. Among her five pro starts this year, she tied for 30th at the Honda LPGA Thailand and nearly won on the Epson Tour, losing in a playoff at the Guardian Championship.
Clemente turns pro ranked No. 26 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking and as the No. 2 junior overall in the Universal Golf Ranking, behind only Asterisk Talley. She’s also a member of the U.S. National Development Team and reached as high as No. 18 in the world amateur rankings.
Though she visited Oregon, Arizona State, and Auburn, Clemente ultimately chose to skip college altogether. It’s a path taken by four of the top six Americans in the Rolex Rankings, including Nelly Korda and Angel Yin.
“Everybody’s path is different,” Clemente said. “There are lots of ways to get to the LPGA tour. For me, golf is the only thing I’ve ever really wanted… I don’t see a reason to delay it now.”
The final stage of Q-School runs Dec. 4-8 at Magnolia Grove in Mobile, Alabama. The top 25 finishers and ties earn full LPGA status, while all participants are guaranteed at least Epson Tour cards. Clemente told Golfweek that her dad, Patrick, will be her full-time caddie.
Amateurs have until Nov. 14 to decide whether to turn pro for final qualifying or defer their Epson status until after the NCAA golf season. Four college players have qualified for the final stage: Oregon sophomore Suvichaya Vinijchaitham, North Carolina senior Megan Streicher, SMU senior Emily Odwin, and FGCU senior Jordan Fischer.
