There is not a day that goes by in Lucas Glover’s life that he does not reminisce about his 2009 US Open victory at Bethpage Black.
Literally not one day.
“I think about it every day — literally,’’ Glover told The Post Tuesday during a nine-hole practice round for this week’s Barclays Championship at Bethpage Black. “I think guys that have won 80 times like Tiger [who also won a US Open at Bethpage Black], they think about their big win as in, ‘I did it.’ They look back on those things and draw from it.
“I think back to it all the time. I was there, under the highest pressure and I executed and got it done. … I’ve been struggling when I get into contention and I’m still drawing from that win. I try to remind myself it wasn’t long ago under the highest of pressure that I did it, so I know I can. So I look back at the week I had here, under the highest pressure and under the biggest microscope and I pulled it off.’’
Glover has not pulled a lot off in the years since his US Open win. He won somewhat out of nowhere on a messy, soggy, rain-drenched week in 2009 and disappeared from the spotlight just as quickly.
Glover, who won once before his ’09 triumph at Bethpage (the 2005 FUNAI Classic at Walt Disney World), has won once since his career highlight (the 2011 Wells Fargo Championship).
Since 2009, when he won $3.7 million, Glover, who was slowed by a knee injury late in 2011 and into 2012, has played in 136 events, missed the cut in 74 of them, has the one win, one third-place finish and eight top 10s.
Glover called the US Open win “motivating as much as gratifying.’’
“I wanted to use it more as a springboard instead of it being my ultimate thing,’’ Glover said. “It was motivating, because I wanted to do it again. It was like, I did it and now I want to work hard and want to do it again. Obviously, I have not played as well as I would have liked to have played since, but I have won since and I’ve had some good finishes and I’m still on Tour.’’
Asked how the win changed his life, Glover said: “All of a sudden people asked me what I thought a lot more, like all of a sudden I was smart.’’
When he drove onto the grounds on Monday, it was the first time Glover had been back to Bethpage since 2009.
“It was cool,’’ he said. “I got butterflies a little bit, because it was my first time back and I was really anxious to see the golf course, anxious to be back out here. Any time you’ve had success somewhere it’s good to get back. I had a pretty unbelievable week that week and it’s good to be back.’’
Barclays picks
Mark Cannizzaro
Matt Kuchar: He’s coming here riding high from his final-round charge to win an Olympic bronze medal and he needs a big week to rise from his No. 11 spot on the Ryder Cup points listto secure a place on the team.
Phil Mickelson: He finished runner-up at both U.S. Opens played on the Black and is energized by the New York fans. He, too, has been in terrific form all year despite not having won. The only drawback is he usually starts slowly after a layoff, which he is coming off of since the British Open.
Rickie Fowler: Has had an uneven season, but came on a bit in the Olympics after a poor start. At No. 12 on the Ryder Cup points list, Fowler does not want to rely on being a captain’s pick, so he could make a big push at Bethpage.
Billy Horschel: Two years ago, he was the hottest player entering the Ryder Cup team but the way the selection process was formatted then, it was too late to pick him for the team. At 28th in the standings now, he’s not likely to be on the team, but he did finish T-5 last week at the Wyndham and could be boosted by the rowdy New York fans.
J.B. Holmes: One of the longest hitters in the game should be a good fit for brutal and long Black Course. He, too, is in position to nail down an automatic bid onto Davis Love III’s Ryder Cup team at No. 9 on the list entering the week.
George Willis
Jason Day: The man in golf and hungry after not winning a major this year.
Matt Kuchar: Olympic hero after taking bronze medal in Rio.
Henrik Stenson: Hottest player in golf highlighted by U.S. Open win and silver in Rio.
Phil Mickelson: Thrives in New York area and plays well at the Black.
Brooks Koepka: Long hitter ready to make statement on big stage.