Golf-Confidence sky high for U.S. Open champion Glover

CHICAGO, July 8 (Reuters) - American Lucas Glover has been surfing a wave of momentum since his surprise victory at last month's U.S. Open and he expects nothing different at this week's John Deere Classic in Silvis, Illinois.

The 29-year-old has posted top-11 finishes in his last two PGA Tour starts and plans to follow the same recipe when he tees off in Thursday's opening round at the TPC Deere Run.

"It's just riding the wave of confidence," Glover told reporters on Wednesday. "I played well that week obviously to win (the U.S. Open), and then just tried to do the same stuff in Hartford and D.C.

"I tried to hit a lot of fairways and I'm putting well and making a lot of birdies. Good offence and play a little defence and you're usually going to play pretty well.

"That's kind of been the case the last couple weeks, a lot of birdies and then just trying to limit mistakes.

"I like this course, it does fit my eye," he said of the par-71 layout at Deere Run. "You've got to move your ball both ways off the tee a little bit and then there's some short holes you've got to fit it in and hit it the right distance."

Glover held off late charges by compatriots Phil Mickelson and David Duval to claim his first major title at a rain-sodden Bethpage Black in Farmingdale, New York.

He has since tied for 11th at the Travelers Championship in Cromwell, Connecticut and shared fifth place at last week's AT&T National in suburban Washington, D.C.

At the AT&T, he played in front of huge galleries with tournament host and world number one Tiger Woods for the first two rounds and was pleased with how he handled the pressure.