Lucas Glover’s rediscovered art of winning – backing up his Wyndham Championship with a playoff success over Patrick Cantlay in the St Jude Classic – came with something of a scientific aid in the Memphis heat.
Glover is one of the rare few on tour who doesn’t wear a glove, which – with the heat index during the final round tipping 43 degrees Celsius (109F) – saw him using the water coolers around TPC Southwind to soak his hands in the icy waters.
“It’s a way to keep my hands from sweating. If you leave them in there as long as you can stand it and then wipe them off real quick, it closes your pores for up to 10, 15 minutes. So I do that if there’s any water in the coolers when it’s like that [hot and humid]. It literally stops them from sweating for a little while,” explained Glover, whose win moved him to fourth in the FedEx Cup standings heading into this week’s BMW Championship in Chicago.
Glover’s season has been transformed in recent weeks, having overcome the putting yips and hitting the hottest streak of his career. Ranked 166th in the world as recently as the Travelers in June, Glover’s run of form – 4-6-5-MC-1-1 – has seen him move to 30th in the updated world rankings.
Keeling leads strong Irish challenge for Boys Amateur Championship
Seán Keeling is part of a strong Irish invasion force competing in this week’s 96th R&A Boys’ Amateur Championship – a trophy which includes José María Olazábal, Sergio Garcia and Matt Fitzpatrick as past champions – at Ganton and Fulford.
The 16-year-old Dubliner currently tops the Junior Ryder Cup rankings (this is the last qualifying event towards automatic selection) and heads into the championship at the two Yorkshire courses in fine form after an unbeaten campaign in Ireland’s victory in last week’s Boys’ Home Internationals.
The Irish players competing in the 144-man field (with the top 64 stroke play qualifiers progressing to the match play) are: Keeling, Jack Murphy, Fionn Dobbin, Donnacha Cleary, John Doyle, Aodhagan Brady and Gavin Tiernan.
The 94th R&A Girls’ Amateur Championship runs concurrently with the Boys’ at the two courses and there are six Irish players – Olivia Costello, Emma Fleming, Anna Abom, Kate Dillon, Róisín Scanlan and Caitlin Shippam – competing.
Apart from the prestigious championship trophies, each winner will earn exemptions: into the Amateur Championship (at Ballyliffin next year), Final Qualifying for the 152nd Open and the US Juniors for the winner of the Boys; while the Girls’ winner gains exemptions into the Women’s Amateur, the US Girls’ Junior Open, Final Qualifying for the AIG Women’s Open and, by tradition, an invite to compete at the Augusta National Women’s Amateur Championship.
Word of Mouth
“I want to make my hands bleed, I want to hit that many balls,” – English golfer Charley Hull on her intent to ensure practice makes perfect after her runner-up finish in the AIG Women’s Open.
By the Numbers: 22/5
Tommy Fleetwood’s tied-third place finish in the St Jude Classic was his 22nd top-five finish on the PGA Tour, the most of any player on that circuit without a win in the past 40 years. He also became the first player in PGA Tour history to surpass $20 million in official career earnings without a win (hat tip to @JustinRayGolf for the stat).
On this day: August 15th, 1999
Constantino Rocca made a late decision to add the inaugural West of Ireland Classic – a dual badge event on the European Tour and Challenge Tour – on to his schedule, with the hope of earning a place on Europe’s Ryder Cup team.
Although he ultimately failed to secure a place on the team, the affable Italian did manage to win the tournament at Galway Bay where he finished with a total of 12-under-par 276 to hold off Pádraig Harrington by two strokes.
“I need to win to improve my hopes of the Ryder Cup. I am very happy about that but I’m also very happy to win in Ireland. I like to play in the wind,” said Rocca, who finished in some style in sinking a 30-footer for birdie on the last to seal the deal with a final round 70 and then threw his arms around his Irish caddie Carl Cahalan.
Harrington had trailed Rocca by three after seven holes of the final round but joined him on top of the leaderboard with a 15-footer for birdie on the 15th only to hit his tee shot on the 16th out of bounds.
“As I was swinging I thought, ‘don’t hit it too far left’ and, of course, I carved it right,” recalled the Dubliner.
Twitter Twaddle
Thank you @AIGWomensOpen The crowds were amazing, can’t wait for St Andrews next year – Leona Maguire already looking ahead to 2024 in her quest for a Major breakthrough.
I sweated so much this week I contemplated ripping all the hair off my arms and legs. However, I was only in Memphis for a week and wouldn’t have had enough time to do so – Max Homa being Max Homa about the heat in Tennessee.
A great week at Home Internationals always love representing my country Prepping for the British Girls u18@GantonGC what a spot. Confirmation KPMG Irish Ladies Open I’m so excited the perfect end of the year – Olivia Costello getting ready for a tilt at the R&A Girls’ Amateur this week and looking ahead to next month’s KPMG Irish Open at Dromoland Castle after getting an invite.
In the Bag: Lilia Vu (AIG Women’s Open)
Driver: TaylorMade Stealth (10.5 degrees)
Fairway wood: TaylorMade Stealth
Utility: Callaway Apex UW ‘21 (15 and 21 degrees)
Irons: Srixon Z585 (4), Srixon ZX7 Mk II (5-PW)
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM8 (56 and 60 degrees)
Putter: Scotty Cameron GOLO 5
Ball: Titleist Pro V1x
Know the Rules
Q: In stroke play, a player sweeps loose impediments from their line using their putter but accidentally damages the green in the process. The player repairs the damage and finishes putting out. What is the ruling?
A: There is no penalty. Such a situation is covered by Rule 15.1a: Without penalty, a player may remove a loose impediment anywhere on or off the course and may do so in any way (such as by using a hand or foot, using a club or other equipment, getting help from others or breaking off part of a loose impediment (Note: there are two exceptions: 1) Removing loose impediment where ball must be replaced; 2) Restrictions on deliberately removing loose impediments to affect ball in motion.
