Bookworm Glover joins list of unlikely US Open winners (Feature)

Farmingdale, New York - Lucas Glover is not your average golfer. The 29-year-old US player hails from South Carolina and is the grandson of a former American pro footballer with the Pittsburgh Steelers. More than that, he even likes to read - and not just sports books. 'I read fast,' he said recently. 'I read about a book every three or four days. Murder mysteries, thrillers - it might be more of an addiction. I sit down and two hours later I'm going, Oh, man, I've got to go to sleep. 'Any murder mystery. I read any of them. It's like watching TV. You can read them in one day. Clive Cussler is probably my favourite. Daniel Silva. There's two.' Glover had only won just once on the PGA Tour, at the Funai Classic in 2005, and had never even made the cut at the US Open before this week. While Ricky Barnes, who shared the lead with him overnight, fell apart and Phil Mickelson and David Duval faltered at the end, Glover held firm to win by two strokes. After initially falling back into the pack, a birdie at the 16th hole took him back ahead, and he parred the last two holes under pressure to clinch victory. 'We knew Tiger and Phil would make a move,' Glover said. 'We were waiting on it. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't nervous. The old knees were knocking pretty good. I dreamed about this as a kid, and here I stand. I held it together.' From Andy North to Scott Simpson and Lee Janzen, the US Open has often thrown up unlikely or unheralded winners, but Glover believes he belongs at the top. 'I guess if I can win this one, I should be able to play all right every week,' Glover said. 'It will definitely be a big confidence boost.' He said it was a privilege to have his name on the trophy. 'I get to be beside (the past winners). It's an honour to be on the trophy with names such as that. I hope I don't downgrade it or anything with my name on there. It's an honour, and I'm just excited and happy as I can be to be on here,' Glover said. 'It feels great. I didn't expect this Thursday, to say the least. But I was playing well coming in. And I knew if I put four rounds together I might have a chance. I am honoured and excited to win.'