Hometown: Turlock, CA- High School: Turlock High School
- Height: 6-3
- Class: Sophomore @ Oklahoma
Clark Van Gaalen has quickly established himself as one of the rising talents in collegiate golf, pairing elite scoring ability with a steady competitive presence against some of the strongest fields in the country.
Collegiate Breakthrough Season (2024–25)
In his freshman season, Van Gaalen made an immediate impact on the national stage, earning multiple All-American honors and establishing himself as a key competitor in every lineup he joined. His accolades include:
- PING All-America Honorable Mention
- GCAA Freshman All-American
- PING All-Region Selection
- NCAA All-Tournament Team
- SEC First-Year Academic Honor Roll
He competed in 10 events and 31 rounds, finishing the season ranked 59th nationally in the NCAA Clippd rankings with a scoring average of 70.94 (-0.19). His consistency was highlighted by nine rounds in the 60s and 18 rounds at par or better. Van Gaalen delivered multiple standout performances, including:
- Runner-up finish at the Ka’anapali Classic (-16, 197), setting a freshman program record
- T6 at the Maridoe Intercollegiate, earning SEC Freshman of the Week honors
- Runner-up finish at the NCAA Amherst Regional (-5, 205)
- T13 at the NCAA Championships, earning All-Tournament Team honors and finishing as one of only two freshmen in the top 15 nationally
Records & Career Bests
- Lowest 18-hole score: 64 (2024 Ka’anapali Classic, Round 3)
- Lowest 54-hole score: 197 (-16, 2024 Ka’anapali Classic)
- Best finish: 2nd (2024 Ka’anapali Classic)
- Best WAGR ranking: 59th (August 25, 2025)
Amateur & Junior Success
Before college, Van Gaalen built an impressive junior résumé with consistent success at the national level.
- 2025 U.S. Amateur qualifier
- T3 at Monroe Invitational
- 25th at Sunnehanna Amateur
- 5th at Monroe Invitational (2024)
- 10th at Western Junior Amateur (2024)
- Winner of the Mizuno West Coast Classic (2024)
- Runner-up at Billy Horschel Junior Championship (2023)
- 8th at U.S. Teen World Championship (2023)
- Winner of Brandon Wu Championship (2023)
He was also ranked No. 21 in the 2024 class by Golfweek and No. 38 in the Rolex AJGA rankings, earning Junior Golf Association Northern California Player of the Year honors in both 2021 and 2022.
High School Career
At Turlock High School, Van Gaalen was a dominant force in California high school golf, leading his team to three straight California Athletic League titles while earning league MVP honors each season.
From a decorated junior career in California to immediate success at the collegiate level, Clark Van Gaalen’s trajectory reflects both consistency and high-end scoring ability, positioning him as a player to watch in the years ahead.