FedExCup update: Lucas Glover in position to go back-to-back on TOUR at FedEx St. Jude

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Lucas Glover can’t think of a time he has played this well. To be fair, he’s trying not to do much thinking at all right now.

Fresh off a victory Sunday at the Wyndham Championship that vaulted him from 112th to 49th in the FedExCup, Glover is eyeing another major jump in the standings at the FedExCup St. Jude Championship. He could move as high as No. 3 in the standings with a win. That’s precisely what he is projected to do as he finds himself in the lead through 36 holes at TPC Southwind.

“I'm old enough to know it can change the other way in a hurry, too,” said Glover, who backed up a first-round 66 with a 64 on Friday to take a one-shot lead over Jordan Spieth. “So kind of ride the wave and just don't overthink it, keep going, and play until it runs out and then figure it out.”

It would mark a remarkable rise up the FedExCup standings for the 43-year-old. Glover ranked 167th after missing the cut at the Travelers Championship in late June and seemed destined to miss the Playoffs for the first time since 2018.

A transformational putter change fueled the turnaround. Nearly out of ideas after a decade of struggles with the flat stick, Glover decided he would either switch to putting left-handed or try a broomstick-style putter. He opted for the latter, swapping in a L.A.B. Mezz.1 Max putter ahead of the Rocket Mortgage Classic. He ranked fifth in Strokes Gained: Putting that week en route to a T4 at the Detroit Golf Club.

He finished T6 and fifth in his next two starts, then won last week’s Regular Season finale at Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, North Carolina. His first victory since 2021 jumped him 63 spots in the FedExCup standings and secured his place in the Playoffs.

“That's been the key,” Glover said of the putter. “I don't feel like I've got to hit it perfect to shoot a good score, don't feel like I've got to chip in so I don't miss a tap-in, stuff like that.”

The putter has allowed him to play more aggressive, worry-free golf. That was displayed as he poured in six birdies and avoided any bogeys during his second round. Glover ranks first this week in proximity to the hole (21’,9”), Strokes Gained: Approach-the-Green and Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green. And he’s poured in his fair share of putts. His first birdie came from a holed 31-footer on the par-4 13th, his fourth hole of the day. He made a 32-footer for eagle three holes later. He two-putted for birdie on the par-5 third, knocked in a 27-foot birdie putt on the fourth and converted a short 3-footer for his final birdie on the sixth.

Glover has hardly had time to process everything from the last 10 days. His win at the Wyndham Championship came late in the night after an afternoon rain delay, and it was close to midnight before he finished all his post-win duties. No time to celebrate. No time to ponder the gravity of the moment or where it positioned him in the Playoffs. Just on to the next tournament. He seems to prefer it that way, especially with how he’s playing. So forgive him if he’s not too concerned about his spot in the standings. If he keeps playing the same level of golf, he won’t need to worry.

“If I take care of me, I'm going to be there,” he said. “That's how I like it; it's up to me. I'm not going to pull for or against the guy in 50th or 51st or whatever. I feel like if do my job, I'll be in Chicago next week.”

NOTABLES

Scottie Scheffler used three birdies in his final four holes to finish strong and shoot a second-round 66. Scheffler, who is T8 and three shots off the lead, is projected to move from second to first in the FedExCup. He’s also tied with defending FedExCup champion Rory McIlroy, who also is T8 after shooting his own 66 after an impressive display of iron play on Friday. They’ll play a third consecutive round together Saturday…Lee Hodges, who recently picked up his first win at the 3M Open, will play alongside Scheffler and McIlroy on Saturday after shooting 65. He is currently projected at No. 30 in the FedExCup…FedExCup leader Jon Rahm used an incredible par save on 18 to shoot 67 but is T51 at even par and projected to fall out of the top spot in the standings… Tommy Fleetwood is in third place after shooting consecutive 66s and could clinch a second straight TOUR Championship appearance. He’s projected to jump from 26th to 15th in the standings…Sepp Straka was a runner-up at TPC Southwind last year and arrived this year after a victory at the John Deere Classic and runner-up at The Open. He has struggled this week, however, and is 69th place after shooting 72-73. He is projected to fall from 15th to 24th in the standings.

BMW CHAMPIONSHIP BUBBLE WATCH

Here are the players projected to move inside the top 50 of the FedExCup after the second round of the FedEx St. Jude Championship. The top 50 will advance to the BMW Championship, set for Aug. 17-20 at Olympia Fields Country Club outside Chicago:

PROJECTED IN

Cam Davis (No. 62, projected to No. 47): The member of last year’s International Presidents Cup Team has certainly found his form the last few weeks with a T10 at the 3M Open, T7 at the Wyndham Championship and now, in Memphis, following up a 4-under 66 with a 67 on Friday. Currently sitting in a tie for eighth, the Australian not only has a chance to extend his season to next week in Chicago but also a legitimate shot at his second PGA TOUR title. Three birdies in a row at Nos. 14-16 helped Davis get to the clubhouse in contention.

PROJECTED OUT

Harris English (No. 42, projected to No. 51): English picked up his first PGA TOUR win here a decade ago, but he has struggled this week, shooting 70-71 to sit T57 in the 70-man field. He’s only eight points behind the current projected No. 50, Thomas Detry

Patrick Rodgers (No. 43, projected to No. 52): He shot 72 on Friday, including an opening 38. Back-to-back birdies at 10 and 11 were offset by a bogey at 12, ultimately signing for a 2-over 72. Rodgers currently sits in 60th place as he tries to return to Olympia Fields, where he won during his decorated career at Stanford.

BUBBLE BOY

Thomas Detry (No. 52, projected to No. 50): The PGA TOUR rookie is seeking a return to the state where he played his college golf. Detry’s 64 on Friday not only was eight shots better than his opening round, but tied Lucas Glover and Viktor Hovland for the round of the day. He jumped 29 spots onto the leaderboard and T30 for the tournament, putting himself at the important No. 50 position with two rounds to go.

BIG MOVERS

Lucas Glover (No. 49, projected to No. 3): Glover just simply refuses to slow down. The 2009 U.S. Open champion improved upon a Thursday 66 with a Friday 64 to sit in the lead at 10 under. Leading the field in Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green by nearly 1.5 strokes at 7.28 strokes, Glover’s approach play has been what’s lifted him to the lead. He also leads the field in Proximity to the Hole. Making the Playoffs by way of his win at the Wyndham Championship, Glover looks to go back-to-back on TOUR and all but secure himself a spot in Atlanta for the TOUR Championship, as well as strengthen his 11th-hour Ryder Cup bid.

Jordan Spieth (No. 31, projected to No. 6): The 2015 FedExCup champion did what he does best, using a stellar short game to put himself in contention. He holed a bunker shot from a difficult downhill lie on Friday, one day after sinking a nifty bump-and-run for eagle. With four bogeys and six birdies Friday, Spieth’s 2-under 68 has him sitting in solo second and just one shot off the lead. Maybe even more importantly, Spieth is comfortably in position to make it to the BMW Championship but has now set himself up to potentially earn a spot in the TOUR Championship at the end of August.

Sungjae Im (No. 32, projected No. 18): Another star sitting just outside the top 30, Im is looking for a return to his adopted hometown of Atlanta. A stellar 5-under 65 that saw only one bogey has put Im in a group of five sitting at 8 under and in a tie for third just two shots off the lead. Finishing 12th here last year tells us he is comfortable toward the top of the leaderboard at TPC Southwind but it is left to be seen if he can exceed that finish with two more good days this weekend.

PGATOUR.com content manager Justin Lemminn contributed to this report.