Glover just makes the cut in Davidson
It’s been that kind of year for Lucas Glover.
Sitting right on the projected cut line Friday in the Small Business Connection Championship at River Run Country Club, the Greenville, S.C., native and former Clemson player plugged his tee shot into a steep slope in front of the green on the par-3 17th hole.
A Web.com Tour official allowed Glover to take a drop, but each time he tried the ball tumbled like a rock off a cliff into the sand trap below. Glover finally had to carefully place the ball himself before chipping to within 5 feet and sinking a putt to save par.
The 2009 U.S. Open champion and 2011 Wells Fargo Championship winner now finds himself trying to save his PGA Tour card.
“It’s been really scrappy,” Glover said of this play on the PGA Tour this season, when he finished 147th in the FedEx Cup. “My short game’s really good, and I’m putting all right. I’m all of sudden not hitting it very good (off the tee).”
The top 25 money winners during the Web.com Tour’s regular season have already earned PGA Tour cards for next season. Glover is among the players vying for 25 additional 2016 PGA Tour cards based on combined results of the four-event Web.com Tour Finals.
Glover said he’s aware of what it means for a former major champion to essentially be playing for his professional life, but that competing on the Web.com Tour is in no way a matter of “playing down.”
“These guys are good; real good,” Glover said. “There’s some new talent, there’s some old talent, but it’s all real talent. It’s much better than it was when I came out (of what was then the Nationwide Tour in 2003).”
Glover ended Friday at 1-under par, just enough to get him into the weekend.
Three who mattered
Brett Stegmaier: The first-round leader from Vero Beach, Fla., followed up his 63 Thursday with a 68 Friday to reach -13 for the tournament and remain in the lead by one stroke.
Eric Axley: After finishing 189th in FedEx standings, the Tennessee native boosted his chances at a 2016 PGA Tour card by shooting a 65 Friday and moving into second place for the tournament at -12.
Harold Varner III: The Gastonia native, who already earned his PGA card for next year, shot a 2-under 70 and is -7 for the tournament, six shots off the lead.
Observations
▪ Varner’s group had the largest gallery Friday, with about two-dozen followers.
▪ Varner also was one of the fastest-playing competitors Friday, taking very little time once he stepped up to the ball.
Worth mentioning
▪ Glover handed himself a two-shot penalty on 15 after hitting a clump of sand in a trap during his backswing.
▪ Stegmaier is bogey-free through two rounds.
▪ Darron Styles and D.A. Points both had holes in one Friday. They also both missed the cut.
This story was originally published September 18, 2015 at 9:28 PM with the headline "Glover just makes the cut in Davidson."