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Lucas Glover’s resurgence on the PGA Tour has continued at the FedEx St. Jude Championship with the 43-year-old taking home first prize at the FedEx Cup first playoff tournament of the year. Glover, who also won the Wyndham Championship just last week, had led the tournament from the end of the second round and eventually won via a playoff victory over Patrick Cantlay.
Going into the day, Glover’s main competitors looked as if they would be Taylor Moore, whom he played with on the final round, Max Homa and Tommy Fleetwood. In the end, though, it was Patrick Cantlay who started the day five shots behind the eventual winner who proved to be his most dangerous challenger.
Cantlay shot a six-under-par round of 64 to give himself the clubhouse lead on -15. The eight-time PGA Tour winner didn’t drop a single shot in his final round which heaped the pressure on Glover and during the latter part of the day, that pressure looked as if it was starting to take its toll.
Thankfully for Glover, his experience seemed to come in clutch as he made a string of impressive par-saving putts on the back nine and a bogey-saving 30-footer after finding the water on 14. Eventually, both men ended on -15 which meant they had to face off in a playoff to determine the winner.
A comfortable playoff win
Despite coming into the playoff with all the momentum after 18 faultless holes, Cantlay effectively handed the title to Glover straight away when his tee shot found the water. Glover eventually sealed the win with an eight-foot par putt after Cantlay missed a 30-foot attempt of his own to force a second playoff hole. Speaking afterwards, the champion said:
“Closing holes here aren’t easy birdies and aren’t easy pars really under pressure, so it was just keep fighting, stay close, stay close, and I was fortunate to get in a playoff. I said after the third round that the guns would be coming, and they came. I was just the last man standing this week.”
🏆 @Lucas_Glover_ has won the @FedExChamp!
Back-to-back wins for the 43-year-old when it matters most 💪 pic.twitter.com/FSartMO4Qe
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) August 14, 2023
Cantlay also spoke to journalists after the playoff and was surprisingly calm and optimistic despite his mishap in the playoff. He said:
“I obviously made a bad tee shot and paid the price. I’m in a good spot and two big weeks coming up, so I’m looking forward to it. I’m obviously playing really well, and next week is a golf course that I enjoy, so looking forward to it.”
Disappointment for Fleetwood
For England’s Tommy Fleetwood, it was another “nearly” day out on the course. The 32-year-old has been a runner-up on five occasions on the PGA Tour but is still waiting for his first victory. This week, he finished in third but once again had a number of birdie looks down the stretch which could have won him the event. He told reporters:
“It’s better than being the other way – it’s better than being nowhere near. Of course, it’s frustrating, but I think I have to look at it in a positive way, be proud of the golf I’m playing and the work that we’re doing.”
Fleetwood will now hope to go one better next week at the BMW Championship where 50 will become 30 in the race for the 2023 FedEx Cup.
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