Sunday, November 06, 2016

Grip change with the putter has Lucas Glover atop the leaderboard in US Tour event

The putter has always been the key for Lucas Glover. When he putts well he’s usually near the top of the leaderboard. When he struggles with the putter, he’s usually hanging around in the middle of the pack.
Unfortunately for Glover, the last time he put together a full season of above average putting was also the last season he won on the US PGA Tour: 2011.
But, if he putts it as well on Sunday as he did Saturday at TPC Summerline he may put an end to that five-year winless streak.
Glover posted a 6-under 65 to take a one-shot lead into the final round of the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open over Rod Pampling and Brooks Koepka.
For seven holes Glover looked like the Glover we’ve seen for the past five years with the putter. But that all changed when he got to the 239-yard par-3 8th, and he drained a 43-footer for birdie. That sparked a run of birdie-eagle-par-birdie from Nos. 8-11 and helped push Glover up the leaderboard.
“That 8th hole was kind of the catapult,” Glover said. “I made that long one and two great shots into 9 and turned in 3-under and kept it going. Just speed wasn’t good through seven holes. I hit some good shots, but they weren’t getting to the hole.
“And then on 8 I had a nice uphill one that I could get aggressive with, I mean long way away, I don’t even estimate how far, but it happened to trickle in, and my speed was good the rest of the day. So pleased with that. But we’ve got a shootout ahead of us tomorrow. I like where I stand, but you’re going to have to play good tomorrow.”
Glover has changed to a claw grip on the putter in the past few weeks and the result has so far been positive. It’s a small sample size, but Glover’s -.121 strokes gained putting is the best he’s done in that category since 2011. And he was far better than that on Saturday, posting 2.648 strokes gained putting, and has posted 1.471 strokes gained putting for the week.
“It’s pretty common out here now, but I went to that claw a couple weeks back and just tried to get my shoulders more involved, and I’ve really been working hard, and it’s starting to pay off,” Glover said. “Eighteen holes tomorrow, and see how many we can make because I’m going to have to make some.”
If Glover’s going to earn his first win in five years, he’s going to have hold off Rod Pampling and Brooks Koepka among others. Aussie Pampling got his week started with an 11-under 60, but has since struggled to find such a groove.
Koepka looked as if he might head into the final round with a share of the lead after getting to 15 under heading to the 17th hole. But he found the water on 17 and ended up settling for a double-bogey to drop to 13 under. He closed his round with a birdie to get within one of Glover and put himself in good position for Sunday.
“For as bad as we played today, I was kind of happy to be one off the lead,” said Koepka. “But (I) just kind of struggled everywhere. Just a pull draw and everything on 17, and that was kind of the story line to my day.
Kopek also will have to put a new driver in play Sunday after realising the one he had in play Saturday was cracked.

SCOREBOARD
 par 213 (3x71)

1 -15 F -6 68 65 65 -- 198


T2 -14 F E 60 68 71 -- 199


T2

-14 F -1 62 67 70 -- 199



T4

-13 F* -8 68 69 63 -- 200



T4 -13 F -5 67 67 66 -- 200



T6 -12 F -6 68 68 65 -- 201


T6

-12 F -4 67 67 67 -- 201



T6

-12 F -4 70 64 67 -- 201



T6 -12 F -4 67 67 67 -- 201



T6 -12 F -2 66 66 69 -- 201



T6

-12 F -2 66 66 69 -- 201



T12

-11 F* -6 72 65 65 -- 202



T12

-11 F -4 62 73 67 -- 202



T12

-11 F -3 66 68 68 -- 202



T12

-11 F -3 67 67 68 -- 202



T12

-11 F -3 68 66 68 -- 202



T12 -11 F -2 65 68 69 -- 202


T12

-11 F -2 70 63 69 -- 202


T12

-11 F -2 67 66 69 -- 202


T12 -11 F E 66 65 71 -- 202



T21

-10 F -4 67 69 67 -- 203



T21

-10 F -4 70 66 67 -- 203


T21 9 -10 F -2 65 69 69 -- 203



T21 16 -10 F E 67 65 71 -- 203



T25 11 -9 F -4 69 68 67 -- 204



T25 2 -9 F -3 66 70 68 -- 204


T25 21 -9 F* -5 71 67 66 -- 204



T28 8 -8 F* -3 67 70 68 -- 205



T28 8 -8 F* -3 76 61 68 -- 205 57 58 1
T28 1 -8 F -2 66 70 69 -- 205 76 101 25
T28 4 -8 F -1 64 71 70 -- 205 T100 T181 81
T28 18 -8 F* -4 68 70 67 -- 205 -- -- --
T28 18 -8 F* -4 70 68 67 -- 205 T100 T181 81
T28 38 -8 F* -5 69 70 66 -- 205 55 T55 --
T28 38 -8 F* -5 68 71 66 -- 205 87 138 51
T36 -- -7 F -2 71 66 69 -- 206 T126 T181 55
T36 -- -7 F* -2 69 68 69 -- 206 118 173 55
T36 9 -7 F -1 69 67 70 -- 206 77 83 6
T36 10 -7 F* -3 68 70 68 -- 206 T126 T181 55
T36 10 -7 F* -3 68 70 68 -- 206 T50 40 10
T36 24 -7 F 1 67 67 72 -- 206 13 9 4
T36 10 -7 F* -3 68 70 68 -- 206 T126 T181 55
T36 30 -7 F* -4 72 67 67 -- 206 113 148 35
T36 30 -7 F* -4 68 71 67 -- 206 4 3 1
T36 33 -7 F 4 66 65 75 -- 206 14 11 3
T46 10 -6 F -1 68 69 70 -- 207 147 178 31
T46 -- -6 F* -2 70 68 69 -- 207 134 T146 12
T46 -- -6 F* -2 70 68 69 -- 207 35 T27 8
T46 19 -6 F E 67 69 71 -- 207 65 50 15
T46 -- -6 F* -2 67 71 69 -- 207 54 39 15
T46 22 -6 F 1 66 69 72 -- 207 70 60 10
T46 34 -6 F 2 68 66 73 -- 207 42 32 10
T46 -- -6 F* -2 72 66 69 -- 207 150 T181 31
T46 34 -6 F 2 65 69 73 -- 207 21 15 6
T46 -- -6 F* -2 70 68 69 -- 207 102 T103 1
T46 -- -6 F* -2 67 71 69 -- 207 103 T112 9
T57 30 -5 F 1 68 68 72 -- 208 93 T86 7
T57 11 -5 F* -1 72 66 70 -- 208 165 T181 16
T57




70 69 69 -- 208



T60 24 -4 F 1 68 69 72 -- 209 66 T47 19
T60 24 -4 F* 1 66 71 72 -- 209 166 T181 15
T60 14 -4 F* E 71 67 71 -- 209 148 T149 1
T60 6 -4 F* -1 70 69 70 -- 209 88 T77 11
T64 37 -3 F 3 72 64 74 -- 210 174 T181 7
T64 18 -3 F* 1 72 66 72 -- 210 5 4 1
T64


70 68 72 -- 210



T64 18 -3 F* 1 71 67 72 -- 210 116 T103 13
T68 22 -2 F* 2 67 71 73 -- 211 91 T80 11
T68 56 -2 F 6 67 67 77 -- 211 163 T161 2
T68 2 -2 F* 1 69 70 72 -- 211 155 158 3
71 5 -1 F* 2 69 70 73 -- 212 49 34 15
T72 26 E F* 4 67 71 75 -- 213 T138 133 5
T72 26 E F* 4 71 67 75 -- 213 135 131 4
T72 6 E F* 3 71 68 74 -- 213 64 46 18

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