Lucas Glover left the PGA Tour in a huff last season but said lessons learned off the course had helped him capture his first major at the US Open on Monday. A former All-America college player at Clemson University, Glover said he was slow to realize his potential because he was quick to get down on himself when things went wrong. Glover stayed rock steady to hold off thrilling charges by fellow Americans Phil Mickelson and David Duval and claim his first major title at the weather-delayed event. Five strokes ahead of the field overnight with compatriot Ricky Barnes, Glover closed with a three-over-par 73 at a blustery and overcast Bethpage Black to triumph by two shots. The 29-year-old, whose only previous PGA Tour victory came at the 2005 Disney Classic, kept his composure in nerve-jangling conditions to post a four-under total of 276. Tour rookie Barnes, like Glover a qualifier, slid out of contention with five bogeys in seven holes from the fifth on the way to a 76 and a tie for second place. Also at two under were three-time major winner and crowd favorite Mickelson, who carded a topsy-turvy 70, and former world number one Duval, after a five-birdie 71. Britain's Ross Fisher eagled the par-five 13th to close to within a stroke of the lead before bogeying two of the last four holes for a 72 and fifth place at one under. Triple champion and holder Tiger Woods closed with a one-under-par 69 to tie for sixth at level-par 280. After claiming the win Glover said taking time off at the end of last season made the difference. Glover said his appetite for the game slowly returned. “That was the point of it. Figure out why I got the way I got. And I did. I was too hard on myself. Just had a bad attitude when it wasn't going right. “My attitude's better,” he said. “Something bad happens, let it go. I doubled the first hole this week. Didn't slam a club. Didn't do anything.” In Sunday's third round, he bogeyed the sixth, double-bogeyed the seventh and bogeyed the eighth before righting the ship. “Two years ago, if yesterday would have happened six, seven and eight, no chance I would be sitting here,” he said. “No chance.” Tricky winds, drying conditions and final-round pressure increased the difficulty at Bethpage Black but Glover held firm. Following his triumph, Glover, who had missed the cut in his three previous Opens, showed emotion only when asked about old coach Dick Harmon, who died three years ago. “I think about him every day,” said Glover, who shared one bit of advice from Harmon that echoed in his mind this week. “He always told me I was good enough,” he said.
