ESPN Golf: Why Lucas Glover Really Took Off His Shoes at the 3M Open

The Shoe Incident Explained

Lucas Glover made headlines at the 3M Open when he removed his shoes near the hole after sinking a birdie putt on the 10th hole during Sunday's final round. TV commentators quickly speculated it was a protest against AimPoint, the popular green-reading method where players crouch close to the cup. Glover, a 23-year PGA Tour veteran, shut that theory down emphatically via Instagram.

What Actually Happened

Mid-round, a rules official — not a fellow competitor — approached Glover with complaints that his metal spikes were leaving marks on the soft, well-watered bent grass greens at TPC Twin Cities. Glover's response: remove his shoes entirely before approaching the hole so as not to create any additional marks, regardless of spike type.

"I have no idea how anyone came to that conclusion," Glover said about the AimPoint theory. He also noted that players in groups ahead and behind him were also wearing metal spikes, and that current rules permit golfers to tap down spike marks.

The Real Story: A Rookie's Historic Win

Glover's frustration wasn't with the complaint itself — it was that the sideshow overshadowed rookie Jackson Koivun, who held off world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler to claim his first PGA Tour title at a tournament-record 25-under 259, closing with a 5-under 66. Glover himself finished T57 at 5 under.

Strokeslab Take

From an SG perspective, the more meaningful data point here is how Koivun's ball-striking held up against the field's best. The spike-mark story, while colorful, tells us very little about what actually wins tournaments.