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Newsweek
02-07-2025
- Sport
- Newsweek
Lucas Glover Calls Out PGA Tour, Alludes to Misdirection at John Deere
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. As the implementation of cuts to PGA Tour membership and event fields approaches, tensions are growing over the possibility of being left out. Lucas Glover has been among the leading opponents of this measure and has not held back every opportunity he has had to speak out on the issue. That was exactly what happened this Wednesday during an interview with the show Golf Today. Glover once again spoke out against the new rules, which go into effect in the 2026 season, and did so by lashing out at the PGA Tour's leadership: "Limiting access is not a way to grow the talent coming into the PGA Tour, in my opinion, and making fields smaller doesn't increase competition. That's impossible. It doesn't make any sense," he said. "We're the only sports organization that's saying that less players means more competition and that's been my soapbox. Every other sport has widened their fields, broadened their playoffs, more games, more teams, expanding." Lucas Glover of the United States plays his shot from the first tee during the final round of the Travelers Championship 2025 at TPC River Highlands on June 22, 2025 in Cromwell, Connecticut. Lucas Glover of the United States plays his shot from the first tee during the final round of the Travelers Championship 2025 at TPC River Highlands on June 22, 2025 in Cromwell, of the main objectives of the new measures is to mitigate the problem of slow play affecting the PGA Tour. Glover has been adamant that accelerating the pace of play is possible without reducing the number of members or events. "We're using pace of play as a crutch to say we need less players and I just don't agree with that and I think that's short-sighted and honestly not the right way to go about it," he said. Earlier this season, Glover proposed an eight-point plan to speed up the pace of play without going as far as the drastic measures adopted by the PGA Tour. The most controversial of his proposals was to ban the green-reading technique known as AimPoint, which was vehemently opposed by Collin Morikawa. 'We're using pace of play as a crutch to say we need less players and I just don't agree with that.' Lucas Glover continues to share his candid thoughts on field sizes.@eamonlynch @RyanLavnerGC — Golf Today (@GCGolfToday) July 2, 2025 The truth is that the PGA Tour's new rules will officially go into effect at the start of the 2026 season, but their impacts are already being felt. Only the top 100 in the FedEx Cup rankings will retain their card for next season, 25 players less than the quota in place through 2024. It's worth noting that Glover is currently ranked 31st in the FedEx Cup, so he has pretty much secured his job for next year, unless he has a complete meltdown over the next eight weeks. More Golf: Paige Spiranac left speechless amid Team USA's Ryder Cup bag drop
The Herald Scotland
24-06-2025
- Sport
- The Herald Scotland
Keegan Bradley tees-up opportunity for dual Ryder Cup role
In theory, sleeping should be a relatively straightforward process. All you have to do is lie on your back and close your eyes. It's so easy, even a corpse can do it. And presumably, that's what I'll become if I don't change my bloomin' sleeping position. Poor old Tommy Fleetwood will probably be having a couple of sleepless nights after his harrowing loss in the Travelers Championship on Sunday. After 41 top-10 finishes on the PGA Tour, it looked like he would finally claim a maiden title in the US but, over a closing stretch laden with pressure, his three-putt on the last opened the door for Keegan Bradley. Fair play to Bradley. He marched through it and sent the partisan galleries bonkers. Another door opened for Bradley, of course. His win increased the world No 7's chances of becoming the first playing captain in the Ryder Cup since Arnold Palmer in 1963. Leadership, like everything in these berserk and binary times of relentless, fist-shaking opinion, is a fraught business. You're either an inspirational driving force who will save the world or a ham-fisted imbecile that has all the clout of a damp glove puppet. It would be fair to say, then, that when the Ryder Cup skipper's armband was thrust into Bradley's hands last year, the response was predictably mixed. The PGA of America and its wonderfully mockable Task Force were banking on Tiger Woods taking the position. And when he didn't, it seemed like they panicked and were dizzying around in their halls of power like Norman Wisdom pretending to be stuck in the revolving door of a hotel foyer. The first time Bradley heard about the Ryder Cup captaincy was when he got a call to tell him the job was his. So much for the Task Force's careful, considered approach which was supposed to mimic Team Europe's structured line of succession. Bradley, somewhat contentiously, was left out of the USA team for the transatlantic tussle in Rome two years ago and his tearful reaction to that snub was caught on camera. The 39-year-old also has an unopened suitcase sitting in his house which still has all his clobber in it from the 2012 Ryder Cup loss at Medinah. He says he won't open it until he's part of a winning team. Imagine that? Bradley leads USA to glory at Bethpage Park and the TV cameras swiftly head to his hoose to document a ceremonial bag opening as he gingerly picks out a variety of stinking socks, soiled semmits and reeking shirts. Given that the former US PGA champion hasn't served any kind of apprenticeship as a vice-captain, we have no idea what kind of captain, indeed playing captain, he will be. Passionate? Certainly. But passion alone doesn't guarantee points. If Bradley is as methodical over his foursomes and fourball pairings as he is lining up a putt with the AimPoint technique, his submissions between sessions could take bloody ages. Ryder Cup skippers, of course, are ultimately judged on something they can't really control; how their players perform. It's a pretty fickle measure to be analysed by. On one hand, a player can be a star, and the captain is viewed as a motivational colossus who has harnessed the ebb and flow of events with a shrewd tactical nous. On the other hand, a player can simply not perform and be absolved of any blame as the skipper gets it in the neck. If Bradley is a playing leader and hitting shots too, the judgement will be even more intense. Back in ye day, the captain's role seemed to be fairly straight forward. 'Boys, let me tell you something,' declared Ben Hogan to his US troops of 1967. 'You don't have to be a rocket scientist to do this job. I'm going to pair straight hitters with straight hitters and crooked hitters with crooked hitters so you won't find yourselves in unfamiliar places.' The aforementioned Palmer, meanwhile, was just 34 and at the peak of his powers when he was a playing captain in Atlanta in 1963. He pitched in with four points out of six as the hosts romped to a 23-9 win over an overwhelmed Great Britain. The Ryder Cup was a very different affair back then, of course, and the result of the lop-sided meeting was usually a forgone conclusion. It's very even-steven these days. And the captaincy is a bit more scientific. Well, so it's portrayed anyway. When Paul Azinger led the US to glory in 2008, for instance, his use of pod systems and perceived Eisenhower-esque leadership ended up in a book called 'Cracking the Code' in which the Ryder Cup captaincy was elevated to the kind of lauded cryptanalysis you used to get at Bletchley Park. As the 2025 contest hurtles towards us, Bradley is certainly up for the cup. 'We're gonna go to Bethpage to kick their f****** ass,' he roared in a rallying cry last year. He's not quite Henry Kissinger. To play or not to play? That is the question that will continue to be asked as the Ryder Cup build-up intensifies. Now, excuse me, I'm off to work on my sleeping position.
Newsweek
29-05-2025
- Sport
- Newsweek
Collin Morikawa Refutes PGA Tour Pro's Claim of Players Cheating Driver Test
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Collin Morikawa has gotten into the habit of contradicting Lucas Glover, even without intending to do so. A few months ago, the two had a somewhat contentious exchange about the AimPoint technique, and now, they have opposing views once again, this time about alleged cheating during driver testing. Glover recently claimed that some players hide their real competition drivers when they're selected for testing. From the Muirfield Village Golf Club, home of this week's Memorial Tournament, Morikawa expressed himself to be completely in disagreement: "I don't think people do that. I think people joke about it, but I don't think people do it. And if they do, then, I mean, sure. Is it going to help? I don't think it's going to help," he said. "When these fail, we're on such fine margins that they give us this like green, yellow, red. Like we want our drivers to be in yellow, it's passing, but it's like, you want it to be fast, you don't want it to be slow." "But if it's close to failing or if it's failing and it's close to cracking, I mean, what are you gaining? You're not gaining anything. Guys aren't going to hit it 25 yards further. I don't think it's really changing much. It's just you got to have a line somewhere and that's where they have drawn the line." Collin Morikawa of the United States hits a tee shot on the 12th hole during the second round of the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow Country Club on May 16, 2025 in Charlotte, North Carolina. Collin Morikawa of the United States hits a tee shot on the 12th hole during the second round of the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow Country Club on May 16, 2025 in Charlotte, North used his SiriusXM PGA Tour Radio show to drop the shocking bombshell that not all players are following the rules regarding driver testing: "Most guys don't give them their real driver anyway," he said. "They hand over their backup so it won't fail testing. It's their way of protecting the driver they actually use." The issue came to the forefront two weeks ago during the PGA Championship, when Rory McIlroy's driver was famously declared non-conforming. Despite being one of the pre-tournament favorites, the Northern Irishman performed poorly in the event, which many attribute to his need to play with a different driver than usual. However, it's worth noting that Scottie Scheffler also had to use a backup driver because his competition one was declared non-conforming as well. Scheffler went on to win the event. Last February, amid a debate surrounding pace of play, Lucas Glover proposed a series of measures that included banning the AimPoint technique for reading greens. At the time, he said it's a technique that "takes forever" and has no real effect on improving putting. Morikawa, one of the top players who use AimPoint, responded to these comments by saying that long putters should also be banned. This controversial type of club is used by many players, including Glover. More Golf: Charlie Woods Goes Nuclear, Blows Past Miles Russell, Field for 1st Win
Irish Daily Star
21-04-2025
- Sport
- Irish Daily Star
PGA Tour star linked to controversies has clear feelings on golfer set to inherit billions
Lucas Glover has praised rival Maverick McNealy as arguably the most intelligent player on the PGA Tour – aside from himself. The 2009 US Open champion has faced criticism from peers and golf figures for his views, but McNealy appears to have the veteran's seal of approval. Glover's opinions have led to clashes with other pros and even the inventor of the AimPoint system after critiquing the method that's exploded in popularity in recent years. He has also criticized the PGA for reducing field sizes at certain tournaments, implying the Tour must "think we're stupid." However, when it comes to McNealy, Glover only has positive things to say. And it reflects well on a rising stud whose future looks assured irrespective of what he accomplishes on the golf course. "Maverick McNealy, probably," said Glover on the 5 Clubs podcast (via The Mirror US ) when asked whom he thinks is the most well-read player on the Tour. "He's an intelligent, understated young man, and his ideas and wisdom are starting to come out a little bit." This praise comes from a golfer who has made his share of headlines for his conflicts in recent times. Stanford-educated McNealy – who secured 29th place in his Masters debut earlier in April – can take comfort in knowing he has the respect of his fellow American. Glover, 45, matched his own Masters record when he ended up joint-20th at Augusta last year, but he failed to make the cut this year. He then tied for 61st at the RBC Heritage in his home state of South Carolina on Sunday. The Clemson University graduate stirred things up in early 2025 when he criticized AimPoint as a disruptor to golf. The technique involves players stepping on greens to sense any changes in tilt or direction. However, Glover doesn't believe it improve putting enough and should be banned, especially in an era where pace of play is such a hot topic. And he shared as much on his eponymous SiriusXM Radio show earlier this year. "Statistically, [AimPoint] hasn't helped anybody make more putts since its inception on the PGA Tour," he said at the time. "It's also kind of rude to be up near the hole, stomping around figuring out where the break is in your feet. It needs to be banned. It takes forever." AimPoint inventor Mark Sweeney told he found Glover's remarks to be "malicious" and called on him to retract them. Meanwhile, two-time major winner Collin Morikawa – who uses the AimPoint approach to his putting – humorously suggested long putters (like the ones Glover uses) should also be banned if that were the case. McNealy's father is understood to be worth in excess of $1billion (Image: Getty) McNealy, 29, recently climbed to 10th in the OWGR rankings for the first time in his career. But despite this, he won over fans with his self-awareness after labeling himself "the worst player" in the group. This was a refreshing display of perspective from a man who seems to have a secure future regardless of how his golf career unfolds. McNealy's father, Scott, is believed to have a personal net worth of approximately $1 billion, although his actual inheritance could be significantly larger. Scott was part of the tech boom in Silicon Valley in the 1980s and co-founded Sun Microsystems, which was sold for $7.4BN in 2010. He has since been involved in several start-ups and served as an advisor for companies like Wayin, 18Birdies, and software firm Redis Labs. After making his PGA Tour debut in the 2019/20 season, Korn Ferry Tour graduate McNealy Jr is now a fully established talent in his own right. He claimed his first Tour victory at the 134th attempt when he won the RSM Classic in November 2024. As a licensed pilot, he even flew himself to the Genesis Invitational in La Jolla, California , this past February. And if his recent trajectory is anything to go by, McNealy is set to reach even loftier heights in the years to come.
USA Today
09-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Masters Chairman Fred Ridley addresses pace of play. Could there be a shot clock for DCP?
Masters Chairman Fred Ridley addresses pace of play. Could there be a shot clock for DCP? AUGUSTA, Ga. – Expect the pace of play at the Masters to speed up – including at the Drive, Chip and Putt. Augusta National Chairman Fred Ridley became the latest person to speak out against slow play at the professional level and said that next year's Drive, Chip & Putt, a competition held on the Sunday before the Masters for boys and girls age 7-15, likely will implement a time limitation to rectify slow play. 'Playing without undue delay, as the rules and the game's traditions dictate, is an essential skill of golf at all levels. Recognizing the challenges professionals face each week, I also believe pace of play is an important element of the examination of the world's best players,' Ridley said on Wednesday during his opening remarks of his annual Chairman's press conference ahead of the 89th Masters. 'Golf is a special game because it requires us to be considerate while also being competitive. Respecting other people's time, including, importantly, the fans who support the game, is a fundamental courtesy. Therefore, I want to encourage continued dialogue on this topic, especially at the professional levels which serve as the most visible representation of our sport.' This follows a growing trend among golf's professional tours to implement stiffer penalties against slow play. The LPGA Tour and PGA Tour both conceded they have a problem with pace of play and have introduced new policies designed to crack down on dawdlers with larger fines, and the PGA Tour has discussed the possibility of publishing who the slow players are at each event for the first time. Next week, the Korn Ferry Tour's Lecom Suncoast Classic will be the first tournament to experiment with removing what has essentially been a warning for a 'bad time' and will now apply a one-stroke penalty for a 'first offense.' 'I think maybe this might be a call to action that perhaps we haven't seen in the past,' Ridley later said. 'I've spoken about it a number of times. We will be dealing with that issue this week. I'm not going to tell you that I'm going to be happy with the results, but I think I am encouraged that the PGA Tour is doing some things, experimenting with some timing procedures that might be a little bit more aggressive than we've seen in the past.' AimPoint slows down Masters players One member of the media asked Ridley about his reaction to participants in the Drive, Chip and Putt who used the AimPoint system, a technique using one's feet to determine a numerical value for the slope of the green, to read the break of the putt. Several participants were taking approximately two minutes to line up putts on the 18th green of the famed course. 'I think that example really illustrates the problem, and unfortunately, these young people are looking to their heroes who play the game each week for a living as to how they're going to approach competitively playing the game,' Ridley said. 'As it relates to the Drive, Chip & Putt, I too noticed exactly what you noticed. It's interesting, but every phase of the competition has the same length chip and the same length putt, so it's really not necessary to pace that off. They know how many yards that is. But nevertheless, that's what they were doing. 'I think it's safe to assume that next year at the Drive, Chip & Putt, you will see some sort of time limitations placed on the competition.' Could that mean a shot clock? Ridley didn't specify. Only time will tell.
