Luke Davis was born among the hills above Dana Point and San Clemente in 1993. He grew up in the thick of southern California’s professional surfing community, and from a young age longboarded at two of the state’s most deep-seated surf locales of Doheny and San Onofre.

Even as young as eight his talent was obvious and early junior success led to sponsorship deals with local surf shops. Aged 11 he progressed to shortboards, surfing USA’s high-performance HQs Lower Trestles and T-Street.

Here he sparred with his good friends Kolohe Andino and Ian Crane, and it was thought that like Andino, Davis' natural talent and flair would take him to the very top echelons of the sport.

After treading the well-worn path from the junior pros to the WSL's Qualifying Series, Davis still stood out.

In the dog-eat-dog world of competitive surfing that can be rigid in its conformity, Davis’s brightly colored hair -- but never the same shade twice -- was an obvious point of difference.

No wonder his Insta handle @lukedavisthegrey blew up, as Davis turned his back on competition and was instead paid by surf brands to showcase his blend of incredible surfing talent, LA glamour, and magnetic personality as he traveled to the world’s best waves.

The Ultimate Surfer might be the perfect opportunity to showcase that electric mix, and as one of the most technically gifted and truly stylish surfers in the field, he has to be considered a favorite. Maybe he might finally crack the Championship Tour big-time that always seemed his destiny.

Instagram: @lukedavisthegrey