Glover One shot off Lead after Second Round of US Open

June 20, 2009

Clemson, SC–Lucas Glover is just one shot off the lead after the second round of the 2009 United States Open at the Black Course at Bethpage Golf Club in Farmingdale, NY. Kyle Stanley, an All-American on Clemson’s 2009 team, also made the cut, giving Clemson two players in the final two rounds of the US Open for the first time since 1989.

Glover had a second round 64, the top round in the field and a course record tying performance to post a seven under par score of 133 for the two rounds. That would have tied the all-time US Open record for the lowest score after two rounds, but former Arizona All-American Ricky Barnes stands at 132 after two rounds and has a one shot lead over Glover entering the third round, which was slated to start at 5:30 PM.

Barnes and Glover competed against each other during their respective college careers between 1999-01. The two golfers played in the same tournament nine times in those two years and Glover had the better score in five of those tournaments. Just one shot separates the two entering the third round late Saturday afternoon and just one shot separated the two golfers at the 2001 NCAA Tournament at Duke. Barnes finished at 284 for eighth place and Glover finished at 285 for 11th place.

“I had a decent putt on 9 to make a 63,” said Glover, who finished just one shot off the all-time record for low score at a professional major. “I left it a little bit short. I’m a little ashamed I did leave it short. But I played well. I’m very pleased. Probably as good a round of golf as I’ve played. I’m very excited.

“I drove it great. I drove it great for the last 27 holes. And driving the fairway at an Open you’re going to have some birdie chances. I drove it well and hit my irons the right distance a lot. The greens aren’t huge. If you hit it the right distance a lot you’ll get nice birdies shots. I hit it in the fairway a lot. That’s encouraging.”

Glover’s 64 on Saturday included six birdies and 12 pars. He finished the two rounds by reaching 31 of the 36 greens in regulation, best in the entire field of 156 golfers. He hit 16 of 18 greens in regulation in the second round. Glover’s 64 is the best ever by a Clemson golfer in the US Open. The previous best was a 66 by Jonathan Byrd at the 2003 US Open at Olympia Fields in Illinois.

Glover’s best play of the day on Saturday took place at the par three eighth hole. He hit his tee shot right of the green on a hill into the weeds. With little green to work with, he pitched his second shot to within four feet of the pin and made the putt for a par.

Kyle Stanley also made the cut with a 144 score for two rounds after scoring 70-74 for the two rounds. This year marks the first time since 1989 that two Clemson golfers made the cut at the US Open. That year Clarence Rose and Dillard Pruitt both made the cut at Rochester, NY.

Stanley is the first amateur with ties to Clemson to make the cut at the US Open and just the second amateur to do it at a Major. The only other time it happened was in 1990 when Chris Patton made the cut at the Masters. Stanley will finish this US Open as an amateur, then turn professional next week at the Travelers Invitational in Cromwell, CT.

Two other golfers with ties to Clemson did not make the cut. D.J. Trahan had a 71 in the second round and finished with a 147 total, seven over par. Trahan finished fourth at the US Open last year.

Clemson rising senior Ben Martin, playing as an amateur, shot a 78 on Saturday and finished with a 150 total for the two days. He did hit a tee shot on the par three 17th hole to within one foot of the pin and made birdie. That shot was shown on national television by the NBC television network.

Clemson Golfers at US Open