Glover heartbroken over reported rift on U.S. Ryder Cup team

Team USA suffered a disappointing defeat at the Ryder Cup this year, losing 16.5-11.5 in Italy.

During the event, reports circulated about dissension within the U.S. team room. Sources claimed that Patrick Cantlay, a key player, protested by not wearing a hat to highlight the issue of players not being paid to participate in the Ryder Cup. The U.S. team and captains vehemently denied these reports.

Lucas Glover, who was not present in Italy but was considered a strong contender for a U.S. captain’s pick after winning consecutive events in August, gathered information about the rift within Team USA and was devastated by what he learned.

“It broke my heart to hear about the division and the issue with money,” Glover revealed in an interview with SiriusXM PGA Tour Radio. “That’s not what the Ryder Cup stands for, and it’s not why I want to play on that team. I’ve heard firsthand accounts from people involved, and it’s truly disheartening.”

Glover, the former U.S. Open champion in 2009, has never participated in a Ryder Cup. Nonetheless, many believed that the 43-year-old deserved a spot on the team this year after overcoming a decade-long struggle with putting and winning the Wyndham Championship and FedEx St. Jude Championship consecutively.

When U.S. captain Zach Johnson announced his six captain’s picks in late August, he expressed great admiration and respect for Lucas and his family. Unfortunately, Glover received a call from Johnson before the selections were made, informing him that he did not make the team.

“I could tell from Johnson’s tone that I didn’t make it,” Glover shared. “I didn’t want to put him through more than he was already going through, so I kept our conversation brief and told him I understood, even though I was probably lying.”

Glover expressed his disappointment in a tweet, stating that making a Ryder Cup team is his only unaccomplished goal, and he still aspires to achieve it. Perhaps if he had been part of the team in Italy, the outcome and team dynamics would have been different.

“It’s easy to say in hindsight, weeks after the event and their loss, but I would have loved to be there,” Glover stated. “I believe I could have contributed in unique ways.”

For now, Glover’s focus shifts to earning a spot on the U.S. squad for the 2025 Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black in New York, the same venue where he triumphed in the U.S. Open.