KAPALUA, Hawaii — U.S. Open champion Lucas Glover returned to Kapalua and had another miserable start to the first round of a new PGA Tour season. The difference Thursday was how he finished.
Glover recovered from a double bogey on his opening hole by going 9-under par over a nine-hole stretch in the middle of his round. He finished it off with a tap-in birdie for a 7-under 66 on Thursday and a one-shot lead in the season- opening SBS Championship.
The last time he qualified for this winners-only tournament, Glover began his season with four straight bogeys. This time, he hit a weak 4-iron that disappeared into the native shrubs and led to a double bogey.
“I was aiming 25 feet left of the hole and hit it 25 feet to the right,” he said. “I got what I deserved.”
Glover, who made only two eagles in 26 tournaments last year, made two in a five-hole stretch on the Plantation Course at Kapalua that turned his fortunes quickly. He then made four straight birdies to open the back nine, and took the outright lead with a pitch from just short of the 18th green that trickled to inside a foot from the cup.
“I knew there were a lot of birdies,” he said. “I saw some scores early and I knew guys were making birdies, and if I played well, I could get something going. So just don’t rush anything. Be patient.”
Nathan Green of Australia and former Colorado State athlete Martin Laird of Scotland, among seven players making their debuts at Kapalua, joined Dustin Johnson and Nick Watney at 67.
British Open champion Stewart Cink and Masters champion Angel Cabrera were among those at 68.
