Glover fires 65, builds 2-shot lead at John Deere Classic - ESPN

SILVIS, Ill. — Lucas Glover kept another clean card by holing a 12-foot par putt on his final hole for a 6-under 65 to take a two-shot lead Friday in the John Deere Classic.

Glover started on No. 10 in the afternoon and did most of his damage of the back nine with five birdies, though equally important was going bogey-free through 36 holes.

He was at 14-under 128, two shots ahead of Lee Hodges (66) and another shot ahead of Zac Blair, who made a nifty par of his own on the closing hole at TPC Deere Run for a 68.

For a tournament with so much emphasis on youth, the focus shifted to some of the veterans. Glover is 46 and first joined the PGA Tour before the likes of Jackson Koivun, NCAA champion Preston Stout and 18-year-old Blades Brown were even born.

And before he teed off in the second round, 50-year-old Zach Johnson shot 70 to set the early target. Johnson, who is skipping the U.S. Senior Open this week because the Deere has always been a local event for the Iowa native, was tied for 11th, six shots behind.

Glover's three-year exemption from winning back-to-back tournaments in the late summer of 2023 is set to expire this year, so this could be a big week for him. Then again, he's been around for so long he only cares about playing good golf.

«I'm too old to chase that stuff, to be fair,» Glover said. «I just want to play. I just wanted to play well again, and I've struggled. Having two days like this just gives me a little belief that it's in there, you know? Been working hard at it and hadn't seen many results and have for two days. Doesn't mean anything tomorrow. Doesn't mean anything Sunday.

»But for these first two days my work has been paying off," he said. «I got a couple more days to keep fighting and keep