Today 3M Open tournament officials announced a group of players, who are in their early 20s, is currently in the field for the 3M Open when the PGA TOUR comes to Minnesota at TPC Twin Cities July 22-28.
Recently, four of them—Luke Clanton, Nick Dunlap, Neal Shipley, Michael Thorbjornsen—all finished high in the final standings at PGA TOUR events and have committed to the 156-player field at the 3M Open. In addition, Ben Warian, a senior at the University of Minnesota, received a sponsor exemption to play in his first PGA TOUR tournament.
“The youth movement on the PGA TOUR has certainly been in the spotlight this summer and we are elated that these four players will be joining us, “ said 3M Open Tournament Director Mike Welch. “There are a lot of young golfers in the Minnesota area, and I know they will be excited to come out and see how these guys do when we have one of the best fields in recent years gather here.”
Warian, from Stillwater, MN, had a wonderful spring for the Gophers finishing among the top 20 in all but one event, including an individual victory. During his win, Warian set a 36 and 54-hole scoring record for the Gophers, that included a 63, which tied the second best 18-hole scoring record in the program’s history. He earned All Big Ten Second team honors for the season.
Clanton, 20, is an amateur who plays for Florida State and has accepted a sponsor exemption to compete. With his T10 at the Rocket Mortgage Classic and runner-up finish at the John Deere Classic, he became the first amateur to post back-to-back top ten finishes on the PGA TOUR since 1958. The 3M Open will be his fourth TOUR start.
Dunlap, 20, attended the University of Alabama before turning pro this January after winning The American Express as an amateur. The 2023 U.S. Amateur Champion was the fourth reigning Amateur Champion to win at PGA TOUR event and the eighth since 1945 to do so. Prior to winning last year’s U.S. Amateur, Dunlap won the 2021 U.S. Junior Amateur and joined Tiger Woods as the only amateurs to achieve the double win.
Shipley, 22, was runner-up to Dunlap at last year’s U.S. Amateur, which earned him a spot in the Masters Tournament and U.S. Open, where he was the low amateur in both majors. He turned pro after the U.S. Open and was T20 at the Rocket Mortgage Classic. He finished T6 at the ISCO Championship on Sunday and the 3M Open will be his fourth PGA TOUR start as a sponsor exemption.
Thorbjornsen, 22, finished runner-up in Illinois a week ago. He earned PGA TOUR exempt status for the remainder of this season through 2025 by being No. 1 on the PGA TOUR University Rankings in 2024. The 2018 U.S. Junior Amateur Champion attended Stanford and turned pro in June.
Players have until 4:00 pm Central on Friday, July 19 to commit to the 3M Open and can withdraw at any time.
Country Music star Chris Lane will be performing on the grounds of TPC Twin Cities Saturday of tournament week at approximately 6:45 pm. For concert information, other 3M Open news, including ticket and hospitality information, visit www.3MOpen.com.
(info courtesy of 3M Open)