Lucas Glover continues improbable run with St Jude golf play-off win
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Lucas Glover with the FedEx St. Jude Championship trophy after winning against Patrick Cantlay.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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MEMPHIS – After winning last week’s Wyndham Championship, the PGA Tour regular-season finale, Lucas Glover showed momentum is one of the most prized assets in professional golf.
He made it two victories in two weeks, parring the first play-off hole to defeat Patrick Cantlay and claim the FedEx St Jude Championship title on Sunday in Memphis, Tennessee.
Glover, 43, qualified for the FedExCup play-offs at the last moment thanks to his Wyndham triumph. He jumped from No. 112 to No. 49 in the FedExCup standings – and Sunday’s victory in the first of three play-off events has rocketed him up to No. 4.
“You work hard no matter what, whether you’re fighting something or you’re playing great,” Glover said on the CBS broadcast.
“You just work hard because you never know when it can turn, and it’s turned very quickly for me. Luckily, I’ve been in a good frame of mind to take advantage of it.”
The only players ahead of Glover in the points standings now are arguably the three best players in the world: Jon Rahm of Spain, fellow American Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland.
Cantlay, whose tee shot at the first play-off hole found a water hazard, moved up to No. 5.
Glover beat not only Cantlay, but also the likes of McIlroy, Jordan Spieth, Max Homa, Collin Morikawa and Norway’s Viktor Hovland on Sunday.
“I said yesterday the guns would be coming, and they came,” Glover said. “I was just last man standing this week.”
Cantlay fired a bogey-free, six-under 64 to be the first into the clubhouse at 15-under 265.
England’s Tommy Fleetwood missed a birdie putt that would have tied him with Cantlay, and he settled for a 68 and a tie for third at 14 under with McIlroy (65).
Tommy Fleetwood (above) missed a birdie putt that would have tied him with Patrick Cantlay.
PHOTO: AFP
Glover, the 54-hole leader, posted a 69 after his birdie putt at the par-four 18th to win outright came up short. He and Cantlay then replayed No. 18 to begin the play-off.
Cantlay’s tee shot dribbled down into the water, while Glover found the fairway and made the most of his advantage. Cantlay barely missed a 22-foot par attempt that would have forced a second play-off hole.
“Yeah, just hooked the ball a little too much off the tee, bad shot, obviously, and paid the price,” Cantlay said.
Patrick Cantlay barely missed a 22-foot par attempt that would have forced a second play-off hole.
PHOTO: AFP
Only the top 50 players in the FedExCup points standings will advance to this week’s BMW Championship, the second leg of the three-week play-offs.
Two players who started outside the top 50 played their way in. Cam Davis of Australia shot a final-round 67 to tie for sixth and jump from No. 62 to No. 45 while Japanese star Hideki Matsuyama finished birdie-eagle-birdie-par to card a 65 and tie for 16th at nine under – leaping from No. 57 to No. 47.
“I saw what I needed to do on the final three holes. I knew I had to birdie them all so I just put my head down and did the best I could,” said Matsuyama. REUTERS
