Glover Wins Nationwide Tournament

Oct. 13, 2003

Former Clemson All-American Lucas Glover won the Nationwide Tour’s Gila River Golf Classic Sunday. Glover, a native of Greenville and Wade Hampton High School, had a final round 67 on Sunday to win the event with a 270 total, one shot ahead of three other golfers. The event was held at the par 72 Wild Horse Pass Resort in Chandler, Arizona.

It was Glover’s first professional tournament title and the victory moved him to #13 on the Nationwide money list. With just two more regular season Nationwide Tour events, Glover is now assured of finishing in the top 20 on the money list and will thus play on the PGA Tour in 2004.

Glover had rounds of 67-69-67-67 in claiming the championship by one shot over John Elliott, Tommy Tolles and Robin Freeman. Glover had to watch all three players come up the 18th hole with a chance to tie his 270 score, but all three failed. Freeman had the last chance, but his eight-foot putt missed, giving Glover the victory.

Glover double bogeyed the 10th hole, then bogeyed the 11th, putting him three strokes out of the lead. But birdies on 12, 13 and 16, followed by an eagle on 17, gave him a two shot lead. His 30-foot putt on 17 gave him his only eagle of the week. He bogeyed the 18th hole, but still gained the victory by a shot.

Glover played for the Tigers from 1998-2001. He was a starter all four years and earned first-team All-America honors for Larry Penley’s team in 2000 and 2001. He helped the Tigers to a second-place national finish in 1998 and 2001, the highest final rankings in Clemson history prior to the 2003 National Championship.

With the victory, a former Clemson golfer has now won a Nationwide Tour event five consecutive years. Kevin Johnson won the 1999 South Carolina Classic and the 2000 Permian Basic Classic. Jonathan Byrd won the 2001 Charity Pro Am at the Cliffs, while Charles Warren won the same event the following year.

Clemson Tigers Buy.com Tour Victories        Golfer       Year    Event        Chris Patton    1993    Albuquerque Open        Clarence Rose   1995    Pensacola Open        Kevin Johnson   1997    Puget Sound Open                        1999    South Carolina Classic                        2000    Permian Basin Classic        Jonathan Byrd   2001    Charity Pro-Am at the Cliffs        Charles Warren  2002    Charity Pro-Am at the Cliffs        Lucas Glover    2003    Gila River Golf Classic