Corbin Mills

Corbin Mills, the reigning U.S. Amateur Public Links champion, said June 11 that he intends to turn professional this year, forgoing his senior season at Clemson.

“I feel like I’m ready to take on that new challenge,” he said.

Mills finished 30th in this season’s Golfweek/Sagarin College Rankings, including a victory at the Jerry Pate Intercollegiate. He is sixth in the R&A’s World Amateur Golf Ranking. The changes to the PGA Tour’s qualifying structure played “a huge part” in his decision to turn professional, as well as his success over the past 12 months. This is the last year that Q-School will reward top finishers with PGA Tour cards.

Mills isn't the only player who's pro plans have been influenced by the PGA Tour's Q-School changes. Jordan Spieth, who recently completed his freshman year at Texas, previously told Golfweek that he intends to attend this year's Q-School as an amateur.

Mills, 22, of Easley, S.C., won the Players Amateur and U.S. Amateur Public Links in consecutive weeks last year. Those victories earned him starts in this year’s Masters and RBC Heritage.

“I didn’t make the cut in either (event), but I felt like my game was good enough to compete,” Mills said. “I felt like I belonged.”

Before his pro debut, Mills has two amateur events, both on overseas links courses: British Amateur on June 18-23 at Scotland’s Royal Troon and Palmer Cup on June 28-30 at Northern Ireland’s Royal County Down. Mills’ only previous links golf came in his Public Links victory at Oregon’s Bandon Dunes Golf Resort.