Strong finish lifts Lucas Glover to personal best at Masters

As his birdie putt dropped into the cup on No. 18, Lucas Glover allowed himself a rare celebration for an even more rare occasion Friday.

Glover, 34, of Greenville, S.C., finished with back-to-back birdies to cap his best round at Augusta National – 3-under-par 69 – and pumped his fist to applause from patrons surrounding the last green.

“I’m not much of a Friday fist-pumper, but I don’t think I’ve ever shot in the 60s around here,” Glover said. “That meant a lot to me. That had nothing to do with anybody else or showing anybody up or anything. That was for me.”

Glover’s 3-under round left him at even par through 36 holes.

Though he finished strong, his round was far from perfect. He needed three putts on the ninth hole and also made bogey on Nos. 4 and 11.

Birdies on Nos. 1, 7, 8 and 13 and his sharp putting on the final two holes kept him afloat.

“It’s always good to birdie the last two no matter where you are, especially around here,” Glover said. “I couldn’t be happier with the way I finished. I had some hiccups in the middle, and I felt like I could have done a little better around Amen Corner, but it is what it is.”

Glover, who is in the final year of his five-year exemption for winning the 2009 U.S. Open, had never previously shot lower than 71 in the Masters and missed the cut in 2011 and 2012. He finished 6-over par last year and in 49th place. He said the possibility that this could be his final Masters didn’t worry him.

“I think if I do what I’m supposed to do and work like I’m supposed to work and play like I’m supposed to play, then I’ll be here,” Glover said. “If not, then that’s my motivation.”