Lucas Glover, the 2009 US Open champion, fired a six-under-par 64 to seize a one-stroke lead after Friday’s second spherical of the $30 million St. Jude Championship, the FedEx Cup playoff opener.
The 43-year-old American made 4 birdies and an eagle in a bogey-free spherical to face on 10-under 130 after 36 holes at TPC Southwind in Memphis, Tennessee.
In the meantime, Australia’s Cameron Davis has slipped all the way down to eighth after a three-under par 67 within the second, maintaining himself in rivalry for the playoffs opener.
Three-time main winner Jordan Spieth, who led after a gap 63, was second on 131 with a pack on 132 together with fellow American Taylor Moore, South Koreans Tom Kim and Im Sung-jae, Argentina’s Emiliano Grillo and England’s Tommy Fleetwood.
Glover received final week’s US PGA Tour Wyndham Championship to grab a spot within the 70-player post-season, with 50 advancing to subsequent week’s BMW Championship and solely 30 qualifying for the Tour Championship in two weeks at Atlanta.
“It’s simply form of a carry-over from the previous few weeks,” Glover mentioned.
“Simply making an attempt to not overcomplicate issues, make good, constructive swings and keep aggressive.
“Taking part in effectively and executing just about what I’m seeing. Don’t over assume it and no want to vary something, simply maintain driving it.”
Glover, who snapped a two-year win drought at Greensboro final Sunday, had been within the prime six in three of his 4 PGA begins final month earlier than his breakthrough.
“I’m sufficiently old to know it could possibly change the opposite approach in a rush, too, so trip the wave and simply don’t overthink it, maintain going, and play till it runs out after which determine it out after that,” he mentioned.
Glover, who started on the again 9, made a 31-foot birdie putt on the par-4 thirteenth and, after driving the inexperienced in two on the par-5 sixteenth, sank an eagle putt from simply past 32 toes.
He sank a 20-foot birdie putt on the par-4 third and holed out from the perimeter at simply over 27 toes on the par-3 fourth. At six, he dropped he method three toes from the opening and tapped in for birdie.
“Happy with how I performed,” Glover mentioned. “It has been a superb few months with the lengthy putter.
“Confidence is excessive and I’m liking what I’m seeing.”
Spieth, the world quantity 12 who has but to win this 12 months, had six birdies and 4 bogeys in taking pictures 68. The back-nine starter grabbed second with a 19-foot birdie putt on the seventh gap and a four-footer on the eighth.
“It’s humorous, I felt like I had higher management of my swing at present than yesterday,” Spieth mentioned.
“I obtained caught with a pair numbers the place I possibly performed the mistaken shot, mistaken resolution, and didn’t play patiently early. Then I made a pair dangerous swings as effectively.”
4-time main winner Rory McIlroy fired a 66 to face on 133 in a pack that included world primary Scottie Scheffler, who birdied three of the final 4 holes to shoot 66.
They performed alongside reigning Masters champion Jon Rahm, the season playoff factors chief from Spain who holed out from a bunker to par 18 and shoot 67 to complete on 140.
St. Jude Championship Leaderboard
130 – Lucas Glover 66-64
131 – Jordan Spieth 63-68
132 – Im Sung-jae (KOR) 67-65, Taylor Moore 66-66, Tommy Fleetwood (ENG) 66-66, Emiliano Grillo (ARG) 65-67, Tom Kim (KOR) 64-68
133 – Adam Hadwin (CAN) 67-66, JT Poston 66-67, Lee Hodges 68-65, Scottie Scheffler 67-66, Rory McIlroy 67-66, Cam Davis (AUS) 66-67
134 – Xander Schauffele 66-68, Max Homa 68-66, Stephan Jaeger (GER) 69-65, Aaron Rai (ENG) 66-68
135 – Mackenzie Hughes (CAN) 67-68, Andrew Putnam 68-67, An Byeong-hun (KOR) 67-68, Adam Svensson (CAN) 66-69, Sahith Theegala 67-68, Collin Morikawa 65-70, Kurt Kitayama 66-69, Adam Schenk 69-66, Russell Henley 67-68, Patrick Cantlay 67-68, Kim Si-woo (KOR) 68-67, Ben Griffin 69-66