Lucas Glover holed out from a bunker at the 18th on Sunday to claim a stunning one-stroke victory in the $4,4-million Funai Classic.
Outlasting a strong field and some trying weather earlier in the tournament, the 25-year-old carded a seven-under-par 65 in perfect scoring conditions on the Magnolia course to finish at 23-under 265.
Glover’s unlikely birdie saw him break free of a leaderboard logjam and claim his first US PGA Tour victory. He earned $792 000 and a two-year exemption.
He jumped from 57th to 28th on the money list, securing an exemption for next year’s Masters and possibly the Tour Championship.
”When it’s your time, it’s your time,” was Glover’s only explanation.
”My bunker game has been horrendous this week, and pretty much all year to be honest. So I squared the club face up a little and it went in.
”I can’t explain it.”
Glover, ranked 185th of 201 tour players in bunker play this year, timed his run perfectly with five birdies on the back nine.
Glover knew his winning shot was good but could not believe it when the ball dropped in dead centre.
”I saw the first bounce and thought it should be close,” he said. ”You can always tell by the crowd. You could hear them stand up and gasp and then I saw it go in. I’ve been four feet off the ground ever since.
”I was trying to make par,” he added. ”Yes, it was a lucky shot, and everyone can say that because it’s true.”
For much of the final round, Glover was barely an afterthought as a dozen players flirted with the lead. But when he drained a 35-foot birdie from the fringe at the 17th, suddenly he was tied for the lead.
A pulled drive at the par-four 18th left him in trouble, and he was not able to find the green with his second shot, which turned out to be a blessing in disguise.
Tom Pernice shot 69 and claimed second. He missed a good birdie chance from 15 feet at the par-four 18th.
”I was a little disappointed I didn’t have a better putt,” Pernice said. ”I didn’t hit it quite firm enough and the green caught it and took it left on me. It broke a lot, but I barely got it to the hole”
England’s Justin Rose and Australian Geoff Ogilvy both were on the 18th tee when Glover holed his winning shot to leave them both needing birdie to force a playoff.
Instead they both bogeyed the hole to drop into a tie for third with Harrison Frazar, Rich Beem and defending champion Ryan Palmer, two shots off the pace. – Sapa-AFP