MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — When Lucas Glover removed his shoes to retrieve his ball from the hole in the final round of the 3M Open, TV commentators speculated it was in protest of the AimPoint green-reading system used by many PGA Tour players.
Turns out, he went shoeless for another reason: to prevent his metal spikes from making marks on the greens following a complaint by a rules official.
“Alright, let’s clear this up,” Glover posted on Instagram Monday. “For 23 years on the PGA Tour I’ve worn spikes. 23 years ago, most of us did. It hasn’t been that long since we were NOT allowed to tap them down. Yesterday was the first time I’ve ever had a complaint.”
Glover’s decision to remove his shoes came after he sank a birdie putt on the 10th Sunday at TPC Twin Cities. Once the ball rolled in, the 2009 U.S. Open champion walked off the green, removed his shoes and carried them to the hole to pull his ball out.
Glover walked back off the green and put his shoes back on.
Fellow golfer Michael Kim posted on social media that several players had complained to rules officials about spike marks on the bent grass greens, thinking it was Glover.
“First of all, it’s not the officials place,” Glover said. “I wasn’t breaking any rules. Secondly, there were people in the groups in front of me and behind me wearing metal spikes as well. The greens at 3M are bent grass, were soft, and appeared to have been watered a fair amount (because of the forecast I’d imagine). I don’t care what you wear on your feet, metal or soft spikes, in those conditions they are going to get beat up. I did my best around the hole to tap down my damage as I was leaving the area.”
Glover repeatedly mentioned that PGA Tour rules now allow players to tamp down spike marks on the greens, including a mention about playing in the Rocket Classic in Detroit this week.
“I’ll be wearing metal spikes, and the people playing behind me are still allowed to tap down the marks,” Glover said. “Did I mention that?”
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