Golf

Glover not lacking confidence

By BOB HARIG
Published March 18, 2006

ORLANDO - Lucas Glover likes Orlando. Or at least the golf courses played here on the PGA Tour, even though they could not be more different.

Glover captured his first PGA Tour title in October at the Funai Classic at Disney World, which utilizes two resort courses. The Bay Hill Club is a bit sterner test, but Glover has handled it nicely the past two days, shooting a pair of 67s to take a one-stroke lead over Robert Allenby and Rod Pampling after 36 holes.

For Glover, it is simply a continuation from his victory last year. He has posted four top-10s already this season.

"Just instant confidence," he said. "That is the biggest thing out here, because even if you're playing mediocre and you've got a lot of confidence, you're going to play better. And that was it for me. I woke up that Monday morning and I was, "Hey, I won out here.' Now we've got to go do it again and that's the biggest thing, especially starting this year."

Glover had a decent year in 2004, finishing 134th on the money list. He went back to the PGA Tour Qualifying Tournament, where he finished tied for 26th to improve his status for 2005. And that made a huge difference, as he won more than $2-million and qualified for the Tour Championship.

"I think about it every day, I do," said Glover, who lives in Greenville, S.C. and played at Clemson. "I think about Q-School in '04 every day and just how far I've come and how fortunate I've been. You know, I've been blessed every way possible since then."

BACKUP CADDIE: Allenby needed another caddie for the first two rounds of the tournament when his regular, Dion Kipping, took ill. Allenby and Kipping had attended the Magic basketball game on Wednesday night, but a visit to a fast food restaurant apparently led to food poisoning. It was so bad for Kipping that he went to a local hospital due to dehydration.

"They are keeping him in for another night," Allenby said. "They had trouble getting the needles in his arm. It wasn't looking good for him as far as getting better quickly."

Allenby recruited Glenn Parry, who usually caddies for his brother, Craig, on the PGA Tour.

AROUND BAY HILL: Tiger Woods hit 17 of 18 greens in regulation but needed 35 putts, which is why he managed only a 1-under-par 71. "I just didn't hit the ball very close," said Woods, who is seven strokes back of Glover. ... There were 73 players who made the cut at 145, 1 over par. Among those who missed were Adam Scott, Colin Montgomerie and John Daly. ... Bernhard Langer shot 70-71 to extend his tournament record of most sub-par rounds to 45.

[Last modified March 18, 2006, 02:30:29]