Lucas Glover survives cold putter, keeps 1-shot lead entering ISCO Championship final round

Former U.S. Open champion Lucas Glover overcomes a sluggish day on the greens to take a one-shot lead over Aaron Wise into Sunday's final round.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — Lucas Glover finally looked human Saturday.

He just never looked vulnerable.

The 46-year-old former U.S. Open champion survived his first real stumble of the week, overcame a cold putter with a timely eagle and carded a 2-under-par 68 to carry a one-shot lead into Sunday's final round of the ISCO Championship at Hurstbourne Country Club.

Glover sits at 15-under-par 195, one shot ahead of Aaron Wise after 54 holes. Stephan Jaeger, Steven Fisk and Chan Kim are two back at 13 under, leaving five players within close striking distance heading into the final round.

Unlike his opening rounds of 63 and 64, Saturday required patience.

After opening with six straight pars before a bogey at the par-3 sixth — his first bogey of the tournament after 41 consecutive bogey-free holes — Glover answered immediately.

He split the fairway at the par-5 seventh, hit a 7-wood to roughly seven feet and rolled in the eagle putt to restore the lead.

"Kind of a slow start, 1 over through six," Glover said. "Just didn't make anything today. I didn't feel like I hit that many bad putts, I just didn't make anything."

That eagle proved to be his only birdie-or-better until No. 12.

Despite making just two birdies all day, Glover continued to stripe the golf ball, hitting 15 of 18 greens in regulation while ranking first in the field in Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green for the round. His putter, however, cooled dramatically after carrying him through the first two rounds, as he needed 33 putts Saturday after taking just 54 over the opening 36 holes.

"I played really well," Glover said. "I just didn't make anything. ... Happy with the way I'm playing, just need to see some go in tonight and be ready for tomorrow."

Wise quietly applied pressure throughout the afternoon with a 66, moving to 14 under after birdies on two of his final three holes.

The 2018 PGA Tour winner, who returned this season after stepping away from the game for mental health reasons, said last week's contention at the John Deere Classic helped prepare him for another opportunity.

"I learned a lot from last week," Wise said. "Today I thought I did a great job mentally just staying in the present, in the moment, calm and trusting myself."

Wise expects to play alongside Glover in Sunday's final pairing.

"It will be a great learning experience," he said. "Lucas has been playing some great golf for a few weeks now."

Jaeger posted the round of the contenders with a 65 to reach 13 under, while Fisk's 68 left him tied for third despite making his first bogey since the opening hole Thursday. Chan Kim also remained in contention at 13 under.

For Glover, the task Sunday is as much about reversing the ending of last week as protecting another lead.

He led after 54 holes at the John Deere Classic before fading to a tie for third.

"I struggled on the weekend a little bit last week, so kind of want to right that ship this week," Glover said. "I love to compete. Everybody's fighting for the same thing. I look forward to it."