Gianna Clemente’s dream has arrived. Even though she is a month away from her 18th birthday and three months away from graduating high school, she will reach her goal of becoming a pro golfer March 5 when she tees off in the Atlantic Beach Classic on Florida’s east coast.
The Estero teen has been one of the best young amateur golfers in the world since she started competing when she was 5 years old.
She wowed the golf world when she qualified for three consecutive LPGA Tour events when she was 14, something nobody else had done. She was named 2024 Rolex Junior Player of the Year.
The Atlantic Beach Classic is the first of three consecutive Epson Tour events in Florida. The Epson tour is one step below the LPGA tour. Gianna, who needed a waiver to join the tour because of her age, missed qualifying for the LPGA tour by a stroke in December.
“It was frustrating and it was disappointing, but I’m really excited to play on the Epson tour this season,” she said. “I feel like it’s going to be a really good experience for me just to be traveling week-to-week and have that experience on a tour. So, it wasn’t a huge deal to me.”
She said she loves traveling. She might get tired after being on the road for a month at time, but traveling is one of her favorite things to do.
Gianna expects to play in 20 Epson events and receive exemptions to play in four or five LPGA events. The number of tournaments shouldn’t be a problem, said Patrick Clemente, Gianna’s father, coach, confidante and caddy. The number of tournaments and the amount of travel is like the schedule she followed as an elite amateur. She has played tournaments in Europe and Asia the past two years.
“I think the differences would be the responsibilities of a professional during a regular tour week,” said Patrick, a former college golfer who introduced her to the sport when she barely could walk. “The pro-ams, the parties, the sponsor obligations, that’s the difference.”
Gianna’s newest sponsor obligation is Nike. The shoe and sports apparel giant joined ShopRite and Titleist as sponsors. Nike announced the sponsorship in mid-February. Gianna visited the Nike campus in Eugene, Oregon. She described the visit as overwhelming.
“I think every athlete kind of dreams of that, so, yeah, it was super exciting and I’m excited for the future of the partnership,” Gianna said.
Her father thought her pro career would wait when Gianna was evaluating colleges, but he and his wife Julie are comfortable with her decision.
“Maybe, I didn’t know it would come this soon, but I feel confident to stand behind her that she’s ready to play at this level. I think she’s proven that. “Week-in, week-out will be the test,” he said.
Gianna’s career has come full circle. She will be competing against women half a decade older, just like she did when she was winning tournaments when she barely was in her teens.
Her father thinks her experience playing in elite amateur tournaments,12 LPGA events and being paired with some of the best professional golfers in the world have prepared her for the moment.
The nervousness the 14-year-old Gianna felt playing in an LPGA event has passed. A lot has changed since then, she said.
Gianna can’t wait to tee up next week and put her amateur career in the rear-view mirror.
“It’s a job now, an amazing job and I’m so excited to finally have it,” she said. “I feel like now that part is behind me, I feel a lot more confident in myself and my team. I feel I’m definitely on the right track. It’s going to be a long journey, but I think we’re ready for it.”
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