Glover edges Byrd at Quail Hollow

College teammates tussle in playoff

Andy Roberts

09 May 2011

Lucas Glover spent the week at a fellow Clemson University alumni’s house and was cheered on by Tigers fans dressed in specially designed t-shirts.

So it was only fitting the 31-year-old should end up in a playoff against his former college teammate Jonathan Byrd.

And the orange-tinted week ended brightly for the 2009 US Open champion as he clinched his third PGA Tour victory at the Wells Fargo Championship in Charlotte.

Glover, who recently made the dramatic transformation from clean-shaven to facial hair, hailed his Tiger-like putting stroke to end a 41-tournament drought on the PGA Tour – dating back to his triumph at Bethpage Black two years ago.

“I putted great,” he said, in underlining the fact that he did not have a single three-putt in the tournament.

“The key for me, especially here, was that I made a lot of five to eight-footers for par to keep the rounds going.”

Glover had an up and down final round on the Quail Hollow course, shooting one eagle, four birdies and three bogeys on his way to a three-under 69.

The South Carolina-born star has endured a wretched run of form with just two top ten finishes in the last 12 months, but held his nerve to see off compatriot Byrd with a par at the first playoff hole.

Byrd, who bravely forced his way into the playoff after carding birdie on the 72nd hole, went from fairway bunker to the hazard left of the green and wound up with bogey – leaving his rival with the simple task of two-putting from 30 feet for the win.

“I’m elated,” continued Glover. “Any time you win you’re pleased. It means you beat everybody.

“You did what you set out to do on Thursday morning when the bell rang. Against this field and on the golf course and in a tournament of this magnitude, I’m thrilled.”

Defending champion Rory McIlroy suffered a minor setback in his bid to rebound from his Masters heartbreak by missing the cut with rounds of 75 and 72.