The TV announcer said it was 94 with a heat index of 103, because of the high humidity.
What do you consider a scorcher?
Posted on 08/13/2023 5:37:39 PM PDT by FLNittany
Not even the scorching Memphis heat could slow down Lucas Glover at the 2023 St. Jude Championship. Claiming his second triumph in as many weeks, the 43-year-old reigned supreme around TPC Southwind at 15 under for a playoff victory over past FedEx Cup champion Patrick Cantlay.
Ranked 130th in the season-long race just eight competitive rounds ago, Glover has since made massive a move thanks to double-dipping the last two weeks. Climbing inside the top 50 with his win at the regular season finale, the former U.S. Open champion now finds himself fourth in the FedEx Cup standings behind only Jon Rahm, Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy with eight competitive rounds to go in his 2023 campaign.
Glover's march to the winner's circle was not without some dramatics as inclement weather rolled into Memphis mere moments before his tee time and delayed his first strike by 97 minutes. An inauspicious start saw the smooth-swinging righty miss the first two fairways while leaderboard stalwarts Cantlay, McIlroy, Tommy Fleetwood, Jordan Spieth, Viktor Hovland and Max Homa announced their presence.
"[I just kept] fighting," said Glover. "Closing holes here aren't easy birdies and aren't easy pars, really, under pressure. It was just keep fighting. Stay close, stay close. I was fortunate to get into a playoff. I said [Saturday] the guns would be coming, and they came. I was just the last man standing this week."
It would leave Glover unaffected until it wouldn't. One birdie and 12 pars courtesy of a strong short-game effort across his first 13 holes kept Glover's head above water and his name out in front by a pair.
However, the wayward swings would catch up to him in the form of a water ball on the par-3 14th. With Cantlay up ahead adding a birdie on 15, Glover did well to only lose two strokes to his foe when he rolled in a bogey putt from outside 20 feet.
The 2021 FedEx Cup champion added a birdie on the easy par-5 16th to snatch the lead out of Glover's iced hands for the first time in over 41 hours and 50 holes. Glover came back moments later to match Cantlay before once again summoning a clutch putter when he needed it the most.
Cantlay posted 15 under, and Glover was faced with an 11-foot par putt on 17 to keep pace. As he did all day, he converted and improved his scrambling to a perfect 8-for-8 on the round – a far cry from the typical Glover who peppers greens in regulation with the best of them.
Clutch.@Lucas_Glover_ saves par on No. 17 and is T1 headed to the final hole @FedExChamp. pic.twitter.com/Zbm0XCdd4l — PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) August 13, 2023
A par on the 72nd set the stage for a playoff at TPC Southwind for the third straight year. Glover would not need to create one last spark of magic as Cantlay's tee shot found the water lining the left side of the fairway. Once Glover made his par and Cantlay missed his, he became the first player to win back-to-back tournaments since Tony Finau last summer and the first over 40 to do so since Vijay Singh in 2008.
It has truly been a renaissance for the 43-year-old ever since introducing the new putter in his game. Teeing it up in eight tournaments, Glover has snagged not only two trophies but three top-six finishes and a top 20 to boot. He becomes the first player over 40 to win a FedEx Cup Playoff event since Tiger Woods in 2018 and will look to join Woods, McIlroy and Dustin Johnson at next week's BMW Championship as the fourth most recent men to win three straight events..
He is running hotter than summer temps across the United States, and Ryder Cup captain Zach Johnson may now officially be sweating at the prospect of not selecting him for the team in Rome.
Good call, last week. :)
THERE'S a pressure bogey...
Great job Lucas. Go Tigers
I thought Cantlay’s putt on the playoff hole was going in for sure - it really looked good.
It wasn’t scorching heat in Memphis today.
Watched it today, and you’re right. Didn’t know who he was, though I love watching golf, only sport I give a hoot about.
Terrific playoffs, such amazing talent.
Back when Glover won his Open, I seem to recall Johnny Miller saying he was the best driver he had ever seen.
Very pleasant tournament to watch. Lucas Glover seemed very down-to-Earth and steady; I was happy to see him win. He definitely made a good impression on me (and I’m sure many other more casual fans). I knew his name, but very little else about him & I had missed the previous tournament.
I also enjoyed the banter between the various announcers with all the donations/pledges being made to St. Jude and Maui. Not really having followed the Fed-Ex Cup before, it is quite an interesting format.
The TV announcer said it was 94 with a heat index of 103, because of the high humidity.
What do you consider a scorcher?
He deserved it, played great and he didn’t choke when it got close.
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