Lucas Glover loses ego & Wins US Open: What we can learn
Golf’s US Open was a tiring tournament to watch on television this year. The starting and stopping was like watching matches on center court Wimbledon (prior to this year). I wonder if they can install a retractible roof at Turnberry for the Open Championships?
Nevertheless, it was a great USGA championship. One that gave birth to a new champion, Lucas Glover, and resurrection to a former one, David Duval. Hopefully.
I remember the first time I met Lucas Glover. I was playing in an AJGA tournament in Greensboro NC. Let me rephrase that, I was playing in my only AJGA event. Their tournaments are usually reserved for good junior golfers, but I digress. A tall, lanky, and red-headed 14 year old Lucas, meandered around the putting green with a deliberate and confident gate while sporting a FULL Goatee. That’s right, he was 14. I, on the other hand was 16, and trying to grow enough peach fuzz to justify buying a Gillette, and he looked like a 25 year old major league pitcher. We never played any rounds together, but I distinctly remember him on the range hitting drivers. Every one he struck resonated with tour caliber sound, like the ball being fired out of a cannon. My tee shots unfortunately, always sounded like a scoop of ice cream hitting the pavement. Foreshadowing? Probably. Be that as it were, Lucas is a great champion and a nice guy. I look forward to seeing him add more titles to his trophy case.
Egos don’t win golf tournaments or garner success in life.
On the eighteenth hole Lucas stepped up to the tee with a 2-shot lead. Lucas watched Duval miss his birdie putt and promptly pulled 6-iron out of his bag, on a hole where most players hit driver, and striped one in the fairway. This play allowed him to avoid trouble and a score worse than bogey. Don’t try to win with a 3 when all you need for victory is a 5. That goes for major championships or local club championships.
A mentor of mine says “You can’t feed your family and your ego at the same time.” Lucas demonstrated this remarkably by deciding to hit 6 iron even when he had been driving the ball beautifully all week and had 2 strokes to give with one to play.
The same goes true for success in any endeavor. Most truly successful people are confident but humble. Not the egotistical and malicious sharks portrayed by Hollywood and the media. They became successful by contributing something of value to the community and people around them. The price of sacrificing personal gain or glory for some time period is usually paid, as well is the risk of looking foolish if they fail. But long-term true success can only happen when the siren of ego is silenced.
photo credit: Dov Harrington
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