With big goals on his mind, Glover is practicing patience  PGATOUR.com Chief of Correspondents Video: Glover discusses Round 3 with XM's Michael Collins (1:30) BETHESDA, Md. -- Lucas Glover told himself to be patient.  Lucas Glover overcame two early bogeys with six birdies Saturday. (Chris Condon/PGA TOUR/WireImage)
Sure, he'd just made bogeys on two of his first four holes at Congressional Country Club during the third round of the AT&T National. Not to mention, he had finished with a triple bogey on the 18th hole on Friday. But Glover knew he could make birdies -- he'd made a total of 10 in the first two rounds, after all -- so he had to relax and let things happen. That's exactly what he did, too, playing his final 15 holes in a sizzling 6 under on the way to a 66 Saturday. Glover's second straight sub-par round has left him in fifth place at the AT&T National, five strokes off the lead held by Stuart Appleby. Glover has made 16 birdies and played his first 54 holes in 4 under. "I had to just tell myself after four holes that I'm making four or five a day," Glover said. "Just make some pars and see if I can get it going and it clicked right away." The Clemson grad immediately got a shot back at the fifth hole Saturday when he hit his approach to 2 feet, 3 inches. An 11-footer at the seventh hole got him back to even for the tournament, and a wedge to 29 inches at the eighth put him back in red numbers. "After that it was free wheel," Glover said with a smile. "The putter has been hot, so it's been good." Glover rode that momentum all the way to the treacherous par-3 10th hole, where he made a 16-footer for his fourth straight birdie. He added another 15-footer on the 17th hole to finish off the 66 that was one shot off the tournament's best. Glover has done his best to stay positive this week, and the mental approach is paying dividends. He admitted he was disappointed by that water-logged triple on Friday afternoon, but he refused to let it get him down. "I think I did myself a favor by not going to the range yesterday afternoon and beating myself up," the Greenville, S.C., native said. "I just went home and relaxed and, same thing, just had to tell myself I'm making enough birdies and I just have to be smart when I get in trouble. "We got it turned around, so I'm pleased with myself I didn't get upset early." Glover is coming off a tie for 10th last week at the Buick Open -- which was a confidence-builder after that second-round 80 and missed cut at the U.S. Open. He's gone back to some old reliables -- his favored draw and a 36-inch putter that he's had since November 2001. "I had to go back to trying to draw the ball, and when a drawer can't see the draw, it's a problem," Glover said. "It's been a process because I had overdone my old faults so I'm trying to work back into that and it seems to be clicking. I'm hitting the ball a lot more solid, especially with the irons, not as many squirrely-looking shots like I had been. "Last week gave me some confidence, especially with the putter. I didn't hit it that great, made some putts and started to hit it better and putting the same. Hopefully it will all come together."
Glover will be seeking his first victory since the 2005 FUNAI Classic at The WALT DISNEY WORLD Resort on Sunday, and he has two other important goals, as well. Not to mention the all-important FedExCup points. Glover is not currently in the field for the British Open. But three spots are available Sunday -- two to the players who have earned the most money since THE PLAYERS Championship not already in the field at Carnoustie and one to the highest finisher in the top-10 not going to Scotland. Glover is also keen to make his first Presidents Cup team. He's currently 12th in the standings, and the top 10 at the end of the PGA Championship qualify for the U.S. Team. American skipper Jack Nicklaus also has two Captain's Picks. "Absolutely," Glover said when asked if the Presidents Cup was on his mind. "I said about the Ryder Cup last year, I don't think there should be an American player that doesn't think about it, because it's an honor and it's a goal for all of us, I hope. I know it is for me. "Last week helped a little bit, and this week, you know, I can't think about it out there and think about it on Sunday evenings. I look at it and I keep up with it. I keep up with all that stuff. I think you've got to pay attention to your goals for sure." Glover narrowly missed making the Ryder Cup team last year. After a hot start to the season, where he had six top-10s in his first 14 events, Glover started pressing. He missed five cuts in his next 10 starts and never finished higher than 15th. "Last year, Ryder Cup, I was looking at (the standings) every day and I think I had the formula figured out," Glover said. "Honestly, last night was the first time since April I've looked at the (Presidents Cup) list. Doesn't take a genius to figure out I haven't been making any points." Glover can remedy that situation on Sunday. He aid he'll be looking to hit fairways and greens, and hopefully have that putter heat up. Congressional is not a course where "you can step up on the tee and say, all right, let's go shoot 62. "You've got to be patient and take what it gives you and all of the clichés," he said. Just like Glover was on Saturday. |
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