JOHN DEERE CLASSIC

July 2, 2026

Lucas Glover

TPC Deere Run

Quick Quotes

Q. Nice opening round. You spoke of minute changes you've made. Could you go through those and then kind of tell us how quickly you can get confidence in those changes and getting them to the course?

LUCAS GLOVER: You know that old saying, "Old habits die hard." Nothing more true than in this game.

Tour players talk a lot about the fundamentals and making sure those are good. This is one of the few times it's actually been something wasn't fundamental with me. My back swing, I was getting a little lifty. Stopping my turn, club was going up, two-way miss. Not a good combo.

I hit some shots on Hartford last week that kind of experience and knowing my swing told me that's probably what it was. When you are in last on Sunday morning, you can try some things on the course that you might not usually do. I was able to do that Sunday.

Then I got here Monday. My teacher, Jason Baile, was here, and we worked on it and confirmed some things with video and what he was seeing. Just worked really hard on it.

It was basically just turning and turning a little bit lower, flatter. I don't know how you'd explain it, but just not letting it lift.

So I have a pretty short swing anyway, so if it gets lifty, I get in trouble.

Q. Leads to your best first round here. Of course, that you have won it, you have to love the combination of that.

LUCAS GLOVER: I've always liked it here. They gave me a start here right out of college in 2002, so I've been coming here a long time. Always been fond have the course, the town, the community, the people. I said that a lot in '21. It's one of my favorite tour stops of the year for all those reasons.

But, you know, even struggling like I have this year, you pull down the driveway somewhere you've had success, it gives you a good feeling. Yeah, always liked it here.

Q. Lucas, momentum is a factor. You're off to your best start. Can you talk about the work you put into having a performance like today?

LUCAS GLOVER: Yeah. It just kind of, A, shows me it's still there. You know, it's easy to lose belief in that when you've been struggling. Like I said, I saw some good things Sunday in Hartford, even though I finished wherever I finished, way down there. Saw some good stuff.

Been having just a lot of those days where my ball seemed to just roll away from the hole. Today it kind of rolled towards it, so maybe it's turning. Been doing this long enough to know that one swing, one round, one week can change a lot.

Momentum is what you make of it, you know? It's hard to back up a round like that, so get some rest this afternoon and get out here in the morning and work on my stuff and get back at it because it's going to take a low one this week.

Q. If you had an opportunity to have a conversation today with the former PGA TOUR player who designed this course, what would you have to say about how it suits you?

LUCAS GLOVER: I don't know, but I did play with him in 2002. I'd tell him I read his greens really well, so can he design more?

I don't know. I just read the greens here well. I don't know why. I grew up on greens just like this, so that's probably it, but I read them really well. I know you still got to start it on that line and have good speed and all those things, but it just clicks, or it did today anyway. I know it's a long week. It's going to take 20-something-under to win, plus if we get some weather.

I'm going to celebrate today because it's been a while. I hadn't had a round in that like a long time.

Q. When you are making some swing adjustments -- you putted really well today. You mentioned reading the greens well. When you are doing the swing adjustments, having the confidence that that putter is going to work for you, how does it help you work through that process?

LUCAS GLOVER: Yeah, again, it's going back to being comfortable somewhere. It's not as if I changed my grip. I'm literally probably -- the club is probably that far lower than it was, but it feels this far, but it enables me to hit and see the shot that I'm used to, which is a low draw. That's my shot.

But, yeah, when you make putts and make a couple of good par saves like I did on 9 and 18 after hitting some kind of cruddy shots, it makes everything easier. But the change part of it is I know it's right; just do it.

Q. Lucas, you've been around this course enough times. How did it play this morning? Did it play easy, as your score would indicate, or not?

LUCAS GLOVER: Not nearly as much wind as we've had the last two or three days. I have never in however many starts I've had here seen the fairways this firm. So we got firm fairways and soft greens, because of obviously the heat. That's going to lend to low scores if it's not blowing 25 or 30.

I mean, the ball is bouncing and going forever. I was hitting some clubs into some holes I've never hit before just because of how fast the fairways are. They're perfect, but usually here we get weather and rain. July in the Midwest, that just happens. Doesn't seem to be the case. Also, I think some guys probably hitting some clubs they're not used to hitting off the tees.

But, yeah, the golf course is perfect. That's why the scores are so low. The ball is going forever, hitting short clubs into soft greens.

Q. What's your assessment of the new No. 4, the redesign on 4?

LUCAS GLOVER: I made birdie today, so I love it. Ask me tomorrow. No, I'm just...

I was such a fan of the old hole. I thought it was a very strategic, fun hole. I think a little bit of that is lost.

Somebody that hits it as short as I do, compared to these other guys, it's a very difficult tee shot, because I don't hit it far enough to carry that bunker. It's more strategic now than just bomb it. Some guys, no issues, just hit it over the bunker. I kind of got to fit it in over there to the left.

Again, made 3 today, so it was the best hole on the course.

Q. What did you hit into the green, do you remember?

LUCAS GLOVER: 8-iron. 8-iron. We're used to hitting flip wedges in there with the wind like it was today. I mean, that second shot is still beautiful. It's like an infinity pool back there over the river. It's stunning.

But, yeah, it's a tight shot for me because of my lack of firepower compared to some of these younger, stronger, better-looking guys. I did okay today.

Q. Quick question with the pack situation and what may be happening with this tournament come 2028 when the schedule changes and Champions and Challengers. This tournament could be in a situation where a number of past champions, who would be on presumably the Champions Series, not in here if this becomes a Challenger Series event. What are your thoughts on that? How does that resonate with you?

LUCAS GLOVER: Yeah, that was a very, very, very hot topic on the pack and amongst the board from what I understand. I don't go on the board until next year. I used having a home tournament. So many guys live in West Palm area. So many guys live in Scottsdale. So many guys live in Dallas. That was a tough one.

I used this as an example. I said, I would choose to come here and play for less points and less money than a track 1 event with more money and more points because, chances are, I'm going to do better here than there. I'm trying to win; I don't care about the money.

Then it was complained to me commercially and what we're going to be asking these sponsors to do, one compared to the other. It stinks, but it kind of made sense.

People a lot smarter than me are making those decisions, but that was a huge, huge point of contention and discussion, but it's just going to have to be the way it is.

Change is hard, but it's sometimes necessary. I was on the side of I sure would like to choose and be able to play one or two down, but with what they're going to be asking these sponsors to pony up, that's going to be a tough sell.

Q. You mentioned celebrating a successful round last week. Viktor talked about being nicer to himself. Even Preston Stout, amateur, said he needs to be nicer to himself. Do I sense a trend here in approach to the game?

LUCAS GLOVER: Yeah, I think everybody could probably do that. I always say, nobody hates me more than me, especially on the golf course.

But, yeah, you've got to forgive yourself. It's a hard game. It's a hard game, and the harder you make it -- the harder you are on yourself, the harder you are making it. I'm as big of a culprit of that as anybody.

It's just nice to have a round like today where it's kind of, all right, I remember. It's still in there, and we can do this.