Lucas Glover will be in the company of many more of the top players in the game in 2024 thanks to his inclusion in the PGA Tour’s elevated events.
However, while wins in the Wyndham Championship and FedEx St. Jude Championship in August helped ensure he would be part of the select group of players guaranteed a place in the big-money tournaments, the six-time PGA Tour winner doesn't think they are good for the circuit.
Glover has criticised the tournaments in the past and, in an extensive interview with Golfweek's Adam Schupak, he explained he still thinks the events – some of which will be no-cut, limited-field contests – are a bad idea.
Asked if his views on them had changed given his involvement, the 2009 US Open champion replied: “No, still think they’re terrible. Glad I’m in them, but it’s terrible. I said that when I wasn’t in them.”
The plan to introduce no-cut, limited-field events to the PGA Tour schedule, which was announced in March, was controversial from the outset with the likes of James Hahn, among others, heavily critical of the idea.
However, despite the backlash, five of its highest-profile tournaments, The Sentry, Pebble Beach Pro-Am, RBC Heritage, Wells Fargo Championship and Travelers Championship, will be no-cut affairs that are expected to feature between 70 and 80 players.
Glover is far from happy about it, though, and thinks it means the PGA Tour is now effectively split between the elevated events and standard tournaments that will take place between them.
He continued: “I don’t think it needs to be divided like it is. I mean, it’s basically two tours, and there’s no reason those fields shouldn’t be bigger. The ironic one to me is the Players at 144 guys is the signature event of the PGA Tour with a cut and 144 guys. So yeah, I thought they were terrible when they announced them, I think they are terrible now.”
The form that helped Glover secure his place in the events also prompted talk of him becoming one of US Ryder Cup team captain Zach Johnson’s wildcards for the biennial match at Marco Simone.
However, it wasn't quite enough to earn him a maiden appearance, but he admitted he thought he was worth a place. He said: “I felt I had done enough then. You know, maybe not over two years, right? Keegan [Bradley], sure had, in my opinion. But according to the reason they have six picks I did enough.”
Eventually, the US failed to retain the trophy, losing 16.5 to 11.5 to Luke Donald’s Europeans. However, Glover conceded that even if he had been involved, it may not have changed the result. He said: “I can’t answer that. I’d like to say yes but I can’t say for sure.”
Last month, Glover said reports there had been a split in the US team "broke my heart."
