Lucas Glover
Lucas Hendley Glover (born November 12, 1979) is an American professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour. He is best known for winning the 2009 U.S. Open at Bethpage Black. Standing 6 ft 2 in tall, Glover has compiled nine professional victories across the PGA Tour, European Tour, and Korn Ferry Tour, and he reached a career-high Official World Golf Ranking of 15 in August 2009.
Lucas Glover Bio
Lucas Hendley Glover (born November 12, 1979, in Greenville, South Carolina) is an American professional golfer who currently plays on the PGA Tour. He is best known for winning the 2009 U.S. Open at Bethpage Black, a victory that lifted him from outside the top 70 in the world into the top 20 within weeks. A graduate of Clemson University, Glover turned professional in 2001 and has since been a steady presence on the PGA Tour, known for his length off the tee and his resilient comeback story after years of struggle with the yips.
Early Life and Background
Lucas Hendley Glover was born on November 12, 1979, in Greenville, South Carolina. He is the son of Hershey Hendley, and his grandfather, Dick Hendley, was a former professional football player who introduced him to golf at the age of three. Glover attended Wade Hampton High School, where he was a three-time High School All-American. He won the South Carolina State High School championship as a freshman and sophomore and finished as runner-up as a junior and senior, earning All-State honors in each of his four years.
After high school, Glover enrolled at Clemson University, where he studied from 1998 to 2001 and became a member of the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity. He was named first-team All-American in 2000 and 2001 and honorable mention All-American in 1999. Glover also represented the United States in the 1999 USA vs. Japan Cup and was selected for the 2001 Walker Cup team. He graduated from Clemson in 2001.
Path to Professional Golf
Glover’s amateur résumé featured three college tournament victories, plus the South Carolina Amateur title in 1998, 1999, and 2000, and the Sunnehanna Amateur in 2001. That strong amateur foundation helped him transition smoothly when he turned professional in 2001.
He joined the Nationwide Tour in 2002, making 7 of 12 cuts as a rookie with two top-10 finishes. The following year, Glover broke through with his first Nationwide Tour win at the Gila River Classic at Wild Horse Pass Resort, finishing 17th on the money list and earning his PGA Tour card for 2004.
Lucas Glover Career
Early Career (2004–2005)
Glover’s rookie season on the PGA Tour in 2004 produced two top-10 finishes and earnings of $557,454, but he finished 134th on the money list and had to return to qualifying school to keep his card. He bounced back strongly in 2005, recording seven top-10 finishes and earning his first PGA Tour victory at the FUNAI Classic at the Walt Disney World Resort, where he holed a 35-yard bunker shot on the 18th hole for birdie to avoid a playoff with Tom Pernice Jr. That season he earned more than $2 million and finished 30th on the money list.
In 2006, Glover added nine top-10 finishes, including a tie for fourth at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational and a tie for eighth at The Tour Championship, while making his first major cut at the PGA Championship. He earned $2,587,982 and finished 31st on the money list, moving in and out of the top 50 in the Official World Golf Rankings.
PGA Tour Breakthrough (2007–2009)
Glover had another strong season in 2007, recording three top-10 finishes and earning a spot on the U.S. Presidents Cup team, where he helped the Americans defeat the International squad 19½ to 14½. After a quieter 2008, he opened 2009 with a tie for third at the Buick Invitational and a tie for second at the Quail Hollow Championship, building momentum for the summer.
That momentum peaked at the 2009 U.S. Open at Bethpage Black, where Glover won by two strokes over Phil Mickelson, Ricky Barnes, and David Duval. Entering the final round one stroke behind 54-hole leader Ricky Barnes, he made a crucial birdie at the 16th hole and held on for the victory. He was the first Clemson graduate and the first native South Carolinian to win a major professional golf championship. A few months later, Glover won the PGA Grand Slam of Golf in Bermuda by five strokes over Ángel Cabrera.
In 2011, Glover defeated fellow Clemson alum Jonathan Byrd in a playoff to win the Wells Fargo Championship, his first PGA Tour title since the 2009 U.S. Open.
Continued PGA Tour Career (2012–Present)
A left knee injury limited Glover to 16 events in 2012, but he retained his Tour card thanks to remaining exemptions from his U.S. Open win. By the 2014–15 season, his exemptions had expired, and he finished 147th in the FedExCup before regaining his card through the Web.com Tour Finals. After several seasons of solid but unspectacular play, Glover ended a 10-year winless drought at the 2021 John Deere Classic, closing with a 64 to win by two shots.
In June 2023, after years of struggling with the yips on the greens, Glover switched to a longer putter similar to the one used by Adam Scott. The change produced three consecutive top-10 finishes in July. In August 2023, he won the Wyndham Championship by two shots with rounds of 66-64-62-68, then won the FedEx St. Jude Championship the following week in a playoff over Patrick Cantlay, becoming the third player in his 40s to win back-to-back weeks on the PGA Tour in the last 25 years.
Driving Style and Strengths
Glover is known for his length and accuracy off the tee, particularly on long par-4s and par-5s where he can overpower courses. His iron play and creative short game, highlighted by the bunker shot that won him the 2005 FUNAI Classic, have long been strengths. After switching to a longer putter in 2023, he regained confidence on the greens, and the change unlocked the run of form that produced consecutive victories at the Wyndham Championship and the FedEx St. Jude Championship.
Notable Events and Milestones
Glover’s signature moment remains his 2009 U.S. Open win at Bethpage Black, where he became the first Clemson graduate and the first South Carolinian to win a major professional golf championship. He reached a career-high Official World Golf Ranking of No. 15 on August 16, 2009. In 2023, his back-to-back wins at the Wyndham Championship and the FedEx St. Jude Championship cemented his reputation as a late-career comeback story.
Lucas Glover Career Wins
Lucas Glover has recorded 9 professional victories across multiple tours. His wins are spread across the PGA Tour, the European Tour, the Korn Ferry Tour (formerly the Nationwide Tour), and other events.
PGA Tour Highlights
Glover has 6 PGA Tour victories, beginning with the 2005 FUNAI Classic at Walt Disney World Resort and continuing with the 2009 U.S. Open, the 2009 PGA Grand Slam of Golf, the 2011 Wells Fargo Championship, the 2021 John Deere Classic, and back-to-back 2023 titles at the Wyndham Championship and the FedEx St. Jude Championship. He owns a perfect 2–0 record in PGA Tour playoffs, with wins over Tom Pernice Jr., Jonathan Byrd, and Patrick Cantlay.
Other Wins & Performances
Beyond his PGA Tour titles, Glover has one European Tour win and one Korn Ferry Tour victory, the latter coming at the 2003 Gila River Classic at Wild Horse Pass Resort, which earned him his PGA Tour card. He has represented the United States in both the Presidents Cup (2007 and 2009) and the Walker Cup (2001).
Lucas Glover Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Glover was raised by his mother, Hershey Hendley, and his stepfather, Jim Glover, whom he recognizes as his father. His maternal grandfather, Dick Hendley, was a former professional football player who introduced him to golf at the age of three.
Personal Life
Glover is married to Krista Glover (née Wakefield), and the couple has two children. The family has lived in St. Simons Island, Georgia, Simpsonville, South Carolina, and Tequesta, Florida.
2025 Season Performance
Lucas Glover continues to compete on the PGA Tour in 2025, drawing on the momentum of his late-2023 surge. Having ended a 10-year winless drought at the 2021 John Deere Classic and then added back-to-back victories at the 2023 Wyndham Championship and FedEx St. Jude Championship, he enters the new season with full Tour status and renewed confidence in his putting stroke.
His best major results to date remain the 2009 U.S. Open title, a tie for 20th at the Masters in 2024, and a fifth-place finish at the 2009 PGA Championship. With the FedExCup Playoffs format rewarding consistent play, Glover’s length off the tee and improved short game position him well to make another run at the postseason.
Looking ahead, Glover’s primary goals are to add to his six PGA Tour wins, return to contention in the majors, and continue representing the United States in team events. If his 2023 form holds, he has a realistic chance to climb back toward the top of the Official World Golf Rankings and add to his legacy as one of the tour’s most resilient competitors.
