The PGA Tour player who refuses to wear golf gloves even as wind and rain batter the Genesis Invitational at Torrey Pines

Add as preferred source on Google

There are certain sports where it’s almost unimaginable to not wear a certain piece of equipment pertaining to that sport and golf is very much the same.

We see in soccer how the right footwear is essential, while in the NFL, shoulder pads and helmets are a must. Likewise, the NBA sees strong ankle supported footwear as a necessity, while in the likes of boxing and the UFC, gum shields and the correct gloves are essential.

Golf is no different in many ways. The right shoes, the right rainwear or winter wear, plus the obvious correct equipment in terms of club and ball selection, mean there is plenty to golf beyond just the players.

• READ MORE: Rory McIlroy discusses the possibility of Bryson DeChambeau and Jon Rahm returning from LIV Golf to play PGA Tour events

Indeed, among the key elements for most who play golf is a good, well made, golf glove. In fact, some players – like Aaron Rai – even wear two.

But for some, wearing a golf glove is just not the way forward and we’ve seen it once again this week at the Genesis Invitational.

Lucas Glover remains gloveless as the rain pours in at Torrey Pines

Lucas Glover might have been in the news for disagreeing with Rory McIlroy but over at Torrey Pines, he’s once again catching the eye, this time for his fashion choices.

Despite horrendous rain and wind in San Diego in the opening round of the Genesis, Glover still opted to play without a glove.

The American is not the first to play without a glove. Famous names like Ben Hogan and Fred Couples.

In terms of why, Glover admits he’s just never worn one.

“Never, ever wore one,” Glover said. “Years ago, Dick Harmon in Houston, he’d cut the fingers out for me, hitting a bunch of balls when I was a kid. He said, ‘Well you gotta try it, your hands are gonna hurt, bleed or whatever’. I said, ‘Well, I can’t really feel the club’. He goes, ‘Well, if that’s the case, let’s not do that when it matters’.

“So we kind of stayed away from it. Just never got into it. I’m a solid 10-handicap with a glove.”

• READ MORE: The PGA Tour’s key players are all missing a trick as Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy and Jordan Spieth make the same mistake following day one at the Genesis Invitational

Lucas Glover compared with Aaron Rai

As mentioned, Aaron Rai is the outlier on the PGA Tour when it comes to the glove selection in that he goes with the double glove.

Rai is very much a rarity on this choice, with barely any other players in history opting to go double.

In terms of Glover and Rai, their careers are very much at different stages right now but it’s still worth noting a few stats.

In fact, with many saying the feel of the club with no glove is important, Glover’s career stats in terms of strokes gained close to the pin edged clear of Rai, albeit off the tee and in total, Rai was the winner.

It seems that Aaron Rai is very much trending in the right direction and he’ll add to his single PGA Tour win soon.

Glover, meanwhile, has managed for so long – over 540 PGA Tour events – that he’s not going to be changing any time soon.