Photo: Epson Tour

Clemente's Journey to Professional Golf

1/4 CGC Staff

Floridian Gianna Clemente has been synonymous with winning for as long we can remember, with her website listing accolades beginning at the age of eight. After many successful wins on the Hurricane and US Kids Junior Tours, Clemente began challenging herself in 15-18 year old division and amateur divisions at the age of 10. She started compiling AJGA open top-5 and invitational top-15 finishes in 2020, a 5th place finish at the Dixie Amateur and a US Women's Amateur appearance at age 11. Clemente began achieving high-level success in 2022, with a match play appearance at the US Women’s Amateur, runner-up finish at the US Junior, win at the AJGA Ping Invitational, and numerous top-5 finishes in high-profile events. She made waves in the professional world by making it through three LPGA Monday qualifiers in a row and hasn’t stopped building her amateur and professional resume since then.

Photo: Golfweek

Photos: Seeklogo, First Tee

When the recruitment period opened for the class of 2026, a buzz of ‘Will she turn pro or play in college?’ surrounded Clemente. While she visited several schools, Clemente ultimately chose professional golf over the lure of representing a college team, a choice that she said was ‘a very long time coming.’ Clemente adds, ‘I visited multiple schools and honestly learned a lot and had a very positive experience. However, I didn’t think college was the correct route for me. I am extremely blessed with an amazing team around me which gave me confidence and made me feel ready for the professional level.’ When she called coaches to inform them of her decision, Clemente felt at ease with their responses, saying ‘The ones I spoke to were very supportive and kind. I definitely took my time making my decision, and I think everyone knew how big of a decision this was.’ Although coaches wanted to know her choice so they could distribute offers and scholarships appropriately, they were patient while awaiting her decision.

Clemente follows the footsteps of former junior star and successful professional Alexa Pano, who chose the professional circuit over college. Clemente offers ‘She has been like a big sister to me over the years and has always been kind to me. She also bypassed the college route, so I feel like we have a lot in common.' It will certainly be helpful for Clemente to have a friendly face in her travels. Another former teenage star and LPGA professional has helped Clemente ease into her decision. Clemente appreciates her guidance, saying ‘Someone that has mentored me quite a bit is Morgan Pressel. I used to watch her play when I was a kid, and now I know her personally haha! She has always been very kind to me and very supportive when I was making my decision.’

Clemente can lean on her amateur and professional playing experiences over the year as she transitions into professional life. We asked Gianna what she has learned from playing in these events and how they have prepared her for the life of a professional golfer. She states, ‘I’m so grateful for all the opportunities I’ve received over the past couple of years. From playing the US Women’s Am when I was 11 years old, to playing LPGA events at 14, I feel that I have experienced a good amount. I continued to play on exemptions as an amateur, which I feel prepared me a lot for the future.’

Photo: WAGR

Although Clemente is leaving junior golf early for the professional ranks, she will carry many great memories with her. ‘My most memorable tournament was probably winning the Mizuho Americas Open. I played alongside Nelly and got to watch her win as well. It was such a cool event for juniors to play with the pros. My favorite junior event was either the Junior Invitational at Sage Valley or the AJGA Wyndham Cup. Both were such fun events, and I’ve definitely built a lot of friendships from those tournaments,’ she says. We all wish Gianna the best of luck as she embarks on this new phase of her life and look forward to following her career!