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MERCEDES CHAMPIONSHIPS

January 7, 2006

Lucas Glover

KAPALUA, HAWAII

JOEL SCHUCHMANN: Lucas, great day for you. Hole-in-one. You're in contention your first Mercedes Championships. Congratulations on a great day.

LUCAS GLOVER: Thank you.

JOEL SCHUCHMANN: Maybe we should just start with the hole-in-one on No. 8.

LUCAS GLOVER: I don't know what happened. It was a 5-iron, 203 hole, I think, into right to left wind. I was just trying to get it up on that top level. That's a tough hole with that wind. It lined up pretty good, then it was just a matter of distance, whether a wind hit it right or not.

It's potluck on a lot of the holes anyway, especially the par 3s, whether it's going to hold the green or even get there, whatever. That one just landed right on top. Two bounces and went in. I saw the replay for the first time, looked like it probably could have gone in the back bunker, but it didn't. So that was good.

JOEL SCHUCHMANN: You picked the right hole to do it. You're going to win a Mercedes car.

LUCAS GLOVER: That's nice. That's nice. I didn't realize it till, I don't know, 10 or 15 seconds, Calc and I were up there goofing around. He's like, "That's a car." I'm like, "What?" I didn't realize it and then I thought about it and, "That's right, it is." Here and 11.

JOEL SCHUCHMANN: As far as being in contention, a shot or two off the lead, got to be a nice feeling, especially such a tough week.

LUCAS GLOVER: Yeah, the wind seemed to keep getting a little tougher and tougher with the way the hole locations are increasingly getting tougher. So tomorrow should be interesting. Just stay patient like I've been doing and see where we end up.

JOEL SCHUCHMANN: Questions.

Q. What do you drive now?

LUCAS GLOVER: Chevy Tahoe.

Q. A little change there.

LUCAS GLOVER: Yeah.

Q. What went through your head after the 2nd hole?

LUCAS GLOVER: After the 2nd hole? "Here we go again." I've done it every day. Four-over through 4 the first day. Two-over through 4 yesterday. The same today. I made two long putts on 3 and 4 to keep from bogeying those holes. I don't know what goes on for me. I guess takes me that long to get used to what's going on. I can't get off to a good start. That's going to be the ticket for me tomorrow, is I'm going to have to concentrate on the first four, five holes. I seem to make a few bogeys and birdie 5. Kind of settle in, that's it.

Q. You said that was your fourth hole-in-one. Is it still just as thrilling?

LUCAS GLOVER: Yeah. That one you just can't believe. Just that hole, the wind, the conditions, everything. That was pretty lucky.

But I'll take it.

Q. What was the crowd reaction?

LUCAS GLOVER: They went crazy up on the green. Behind us was 7 green. It was pretty wild.

Q. Then you get carted down to the hole. Usually you walk up. Is it kind of fun to emerge from the canyon, hear the ovation again?

LUCAS GLOVER: They didn't do anything till I got down to the hole, but it was pretty neat.

Q. Do you think having not played here before and knowing the scores that it takes to usually win here, has that helped you a little bit this week at all?

LUCAS GLOVER: I think the wind and the new greens helped me a lot. The greens obviously because nobody's been here to play them before the last couple weeks. Then the wind, I like it. I'm not opposed to playing in a lot of wind. Those two things kind of limit your scoring opportunities, obviously. It brings the scores down and brings the field a little tighter together.

Q. Did you give any thought, before coming here, maybe looking at the previous winner's scores? Did you give any thought to the leader going 5-under or so through three rounds? Did you have any idea that might happen?

LUCAS GLOVER: No. Ernie shot 31-under one year. That's all I know. I'm usually asleep before this goes off at night, being from the East Coast. You know, it's pretty amazing what hard, firm greens and fast greens will do, then 20-mile-an-hour winds to the best players in the world.

Q. Is your background from playing in the wind?

LUCAS GLOVER: Not really. I'm kind of a low ball hitter. I like to kind of work the ball both ways, hit shots even when it's not windy. That's probably my biggest problem. When it's like that, you have to get kind of creative with every shot really. I enjoy it. I think it makes it more fun, which makes it more relaxing. You don't really think about it.

When you get done and then you think, "Man, that was tough today." Makes it a little more gratifying to play well when it's like that.

Q. What club had you been hitting on 8?

LUCAS GLOVER: I hit 5-iron Thursday, 6-iron yesterday.

Q. Was there any discussion today to hit 5-iron?

LUCAS GLOVER: It was a 5-iron. It was just a matter of if it was full or just kind of a punch. It was about 85%, just threw it out there to the right fringe, then let the wind take it.

Q. Any danger in getting too euphoric because you have to go on to the 9th hole? Like a bogey or birdie, just go on.

LUCAS GLOVER: Yeah, I walked off the green there. I had a pretty big adrenaline rush going. I just kept thinking to myself, "That got you back in the mix. Let's try to go get in contention and see what happens the rest of the day and then tomorrow."

I played 9 perfectly. Had it 15 yards short of the green, missed a 10-footer. I should have made birdie there. Should have, would have, could have.

I'm glad it was a long walk to the 9th tee because it did give me a little time to settle down, collect my thoughts and think about staying the course, trying to get in a position to win.

Q. With the win under your belt, last year was such a strong year, how ambitious are your goals this year?

LUCAS GLOVER: Very. You know, I want to win again. To do that, you got to get in contention a lot, as I found out last year. You're not going to do it one time, get in contention, because you're not used to it. That helped me out as the year went on.

You know, I think Stuart is playing well on the Back 9, so I'm going to be three our four back probably. Pretty high goals. It's going to be a tough day tomorrow for everybody. Hopefully we can get in there and mix it up. Get off to a good start, maybe we can get in there by the turn or something.

Q. Was the wind today similar or a little less consistent than yesterday?

LUCAS GLOVER: I don't think it blew as hard. It gusted more. It was more constant yesterday. Walking up 3 yesterday, it was hard to get to your ball. It was blowing that hard. You had to hunker down, bend over and walk. Same thing going up 9 yesterday.

Today it was blowing -- the gusts were about the same, but it wasn't as constant.

Q. I can understand sleeping through this with the five-hour difference in time change. You obviously knew that Stuart has won the last two years. When you get out here, look at the board, "Here he goes again"?

LUCAS GLOVER: I think he's comfortable here. It's no surprise. There's guys that play well every tournament, every year. Vaughn won the last two years in Reno. John Huston in Florida. Just the way things are. He's comfortable here, he's going to play well. When conditions get like this, with his background, I'm sure he's quite used to this. Probably relishes the opportunity to play in it because it's to his advantage.

Q. Half the field double-digits over par, one guy hasn't broke 80 yet. Do you think this is a good way to start the year? Should it be a bit more gentle? Does it matter?

LUCAS GLOVER: I don't think they could help that it was this tough of a test. I think it's the wind and the new greens. Another year, you know, the greens will be a little softer, they'll be a little more receptive.

I don't mind it. I don't know, it's tough to say because usually with the soft greens, slow greens, it doesn't put quite the emphasis on your ball striking. That being said, it is a very tough test to start off the year for a short field luxury tournament.

I don't think it could be helped or should be.

Q. Can a guy have his confidence shot this week?

LUCAS GLOVER: I don't think so. There's too many variables - 20-mile-an-hour winds, brand-new, firm, fast greens, first week of the year. I don't think so.

Q. When was your first hole-in-one of your life?

LUCAS GLOVER: Hmm.

Q. You don't have to think about that, do you?

LUCAS GLOVER: I'm trying to remember what year. Practice round in Atlanta, BellSouth, two years ago.

Q. You had four holes-in-one?

LUCAS GLOVER: I had about three in about four months, and then today.

Q. Broke your slump?

LUCAS GLOVER: Yeah.

Q. How many were in competitive rounds?

LUCAS GLOVER: Two, two practice rounds.

JOEL SCHUCHMANN: Let's go through your card. You talked about bogeys on the first two.

LUCAS GLOVER: Yeah, good drive down on 1. Went all the way through, into the rough, flew the green. Bad chip, bad putt. That was it. That's been that hole every day. I can't seem to get the distance right with the wind. I don't know if it's the first hole of the day or what. It's a tough hole to begin with.

No. 2 I've bogeyed every day. Missed the green short today, average chip, bad putt.

Q. What did you get off the tee?

LUCAS GLOVER: I tried to bounce up a 7-iron because I just seen Calc hit a 6-iron, and it landed on the front, rolled all the way off the back, so I plugged a 7 on the front fringe. Makes sense, doesn't it (laughter)?

JOEL SCHUCHMANN: Birdied 5 and 6.

LUCAS GLOVER: Yeah, 5, 5-iron in, fanned it out to the right, short bunker. Hit a nice bunker shot there. I was pleased with that one. Five feet, made that one.

6, I almost knocked it on the front right fringe, just short of the fringe, first cut. Chipped it up to three, four feet, made that one.

JOEL SCHUCHMANN: Talked about the hole-in-one. Then 15.

LUCAS GLOVER: 15, hit a nice drive, not far enough right to really go with the flag. Had to start it way left with the wind. I was pin-high right, 15 yards off the right fringe. Pitched it to about two and a half feet just behind the hole from where I was.

JOEL SCHUCHMANN: Last bogey of the day, 17.

LUCAS GLOVER: 17, I hit it way over the green. Been coming up short every day. "Get it back there this time." Hit it over. Bad pitch, bad putt. Missed about a 10-footer for par.

18, good drive way down the left side. 5-wood almost got to the front of the green, which is where I was trying to put it. Chipped it to within a couple inches. Nice way to finish.

Q. This course has you might say some funky holes. You have a lot of cart movement. Do you sort of like it? The first time you saw it, did it surprise you?

LUCAS GLOVER: You know, I knew a bunch of guys that have played here, then some friends at home have been out here on vacation and have played. They say it's not bad, but it's kind of weird, it's different. That's what I thought. This isn't bad, it's just different.

I enjoy it. I think it's great. I'm all for something other than 480-yard par 4s that go like this. That's just me. I love it. I think it's great. It's the first time I've actually ever gotten in a car to go to the fairway or to the green. But thank you for doing that, I appreciate it, believe me. I don't think I'd be here. Think I'd be laying out on 16 fairway if it wasn't for that. It is a little different.

Q. They drive you up?

LUCAS GLOVER: Yeah, four carts take us up to the fairway. I'm thankful, believe me.

Q. How long were your par putts at 3 and 4?

LUCAS GLOVER: 15 feet on 3 and about 12 on 4. That really kind of saved me more than anything. If I'd have done what I did the first day again, probably been so mad at myself I couldn't see. Those were important. Those two putts were huge.

Q. When you won your first tournament, what is the first thing you think of? Maybe coming here, Augusta, things like that, or just that you won?

LUCAS GLOVER: Yeah, I mean, for me last year a lot of things happened. First thing that came to mind for me was if I play good next week, I can get in THE TOUR Championship. Then I was taking my now wife to the airport, and she said, "I think that gets you in the Masters." I went, "What?" That's a pretty big deal for me from where I'm from. I used to go down there every year. Then to get to come here, obviously I knew that. I think the very next day Gary called. That was a pleasant phone call.

Q. Obviously Clemson, South Carolina, not too far from Augusta. You used to go a lot?

LUCAS GLOVER: I went every Saturday for 10 years straight. 6 to 16, I think it was.

Q. Ever think you'd be playing there? Every fan that goes there would like to think he's a golfer. Did you see yourself going there?

LUCAS GLOVER: You know, it was a dream. That's why it meant so much to me, so yeah.

Q. Have you gone over and played it with all the changes?

LUCAS GLOVER: I haven't. I got a week off schedule coming up, I'm going to go a couple times anyway.

Q. They rearranged the course just for you.

LUCAS GLOVER: I don't know about that.

JOEL SCHUCHMANN: Thanks, Lucas.

End of FastScripts.

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