Lucas Glover’s solid Saturday at Masters had several chances to be a lot better
Familiar scenes at Augusta National Golf Club during Saturday’s third round of the 86th Masters: hoodies worthy of Bill Belichick, jackets endorsed by Eskimos and Lucas Glover’s grimacing and gesturing, then reaching for a coin to mark his ball after another putt burned the cup’s edge and wandered past.
His even-par 72 in blustery conditions deserves a hearty salute. With the winds howling and the mercury stuck in the 50s, the world’s best golfers faced a more daunting challenge than usual.
Even so, the former Clemson All-American’s fans in the gallery couldn’t help but wonder what might have been.
“I made a few nice par saves (with putts),” Glover said. “I’m playing well, but, yeah, I can’t help but feel like I left a few (strokes) out there.”
Putting has long been his bugaboo overall, and nowhere more than at Augusta National. On the PGA Tour this year, statistics show he loses a half-shot a round to the field, and the trend continued Saturday.
He made the cut for the fifth time in his nine Masters tournaments this year, but only one of his career rounds has been in the 60s.
Saturday’s round could have been another. He dropped a 35-foot bomb for birdie on the tough 11th and knocked another stroke off par at the 13th to go 2-under for his round.
Alas, he nuked his third shot on 14 from just off the green about 12 feet past and made bogey, missed a 15-footer for birdie on 15 and — the dagger — watched a 4-footer for birdie on 16 twist away. At the last hole, his 6-footer to save par refused to fall.
“The one on 16, about 4 feet with some break,” he said. “I know that and still didn’t hit it out there. I’ve done that before, too.”
Glover was 4-over-par halfway through Sunday’s final round.
A Greenville native, Glover developed his game in South Carolina’s acclaimed junior golf program. He won three consecutive South Carolina Amateurs (1998-2000) and represented the United States on the 2001 Walker Cup team. His four professional triumphs include the 2009 U.S. Open.
He edged former Clemson teammate Jonathan Byrd for the 2011 Wells Fargo championship in Charlotte, then went 10 years until winning again — the 2021 John Deere Classic.
Even with a long time between victories, Glover, now 42, keeps his perspective on an even keel. He has the same demeanor now — at Augusta on one of golf’s grand stages — that he had 25 years ago during the S.C. Junior Championship at the Country Club of Lexington.
His headgear has changed. Then, he wore at New York Yankees cap; now, he dons a hat promoting his sponsor.
Glover talked about rivalry with future pro Kyle Thompson back then. Saturday, he put the finishing bogey and a potential lower score aside and talked about how the change at Augusta’s par-5 15th hole impacts play.
“The (longer) 15th is wind-dependent now,” he said. “Today, into the wind, it’s a layup (short of the pond guarding the green). Before, no matter what, it was go-go-go for the green.
“With the pin on the front like today, you have to plan. Too short, and you can spin the ball back into the water. Over and you can be in the water (on 16), and you’re going to have a very delicate chip.
‘It’s different and it’s challenging, and that’s the way it should be.”
Lucas Glover career Masters finishes
2006: 73-78 — 151 (missed cut)
2007: 74-71-79-74 — 298 (tie for 20th)
2010: 76-71-71-74 — 292 (tie for 36th)
2011: 75-71 — 146 (missed cut)
2012: 75-79 — 154 (missed cut)
2013: 74-74-73-73 — 294 (49th)
2014: 75-69-77-75 — 296 (tie for 42nd)
2020: 77-74 — 151 (missed cut)
2022: 72-76-72-TBD
This story was originally published April 9, 2022 at 6:13 PM with the headline "Lucas Glover’s solid Saturday at Masters had several chances to be a lot better."