KAPALUA, MAUI » Lucas Glover doesn't believe in great expectations.

Instead, the U.S. Open champion prefers a low-key approach to a game that can be kind one shot and naughty the next. Case in point, Glover began 2010 with a double bogey at the opening hole of the SBS Championship yesterday, something that might have derailed him in a past golf life.

But instead of tucking his clubs deep in his golf bag and calling it a day, the 30-year-old from Greenville, S.C., parred the next three before going on an eagle and birdie binge that shot him to the top of the leaderboard in this 28-man event.

He began his comeback with an eagle at the par-5 fifth, a birdie at the sixth, another eagle at the ninth, followed by four consecutive birdies to open the back nine en route to a 7-under 66 and a one-shot lead in the opening event on the PGA Tour.

“;Obviously, a rocky start,”; Glover said. “;But I turned it around on 5 with an eagle and that kind of got things going. I made a mile of putts from 5 through 13. I felt like I could have made a couple of more at 14 and 15. It just didn't happen. The par on 17 felt like a birdie and then a good birdie on 18 to finish up a good day.”;

Even with that double at the first, it wasn't as bad as Glover did the first time he played the Plantation Course several years ago. How about four consecutive bogeys to start his round.

“;Really, awesome,”; Glover said when told of his rough start. “;No, I didn't (know). I've never been a very fast starter.”;

Some might think after winning his first major in 2009 that Glover would expect more from himself in the coming campaign, but that's not the approach he plans to take. When he first stepped out on tour in 2004, the man who loves reading books as much as playing golf figured he'd keep the same winning percentage that he managed in junior golf and college.

Wrong.

Glover played in 30 events that first year, making the cut 17 times. He had only two top 10s and five top 25s en route to finishing 134th on the money list.

“;You learn how to lose gracefully out here because other than Tiger (Woods), you don't win very much percentage-wise,”; Glover said. “;All of us are probably pretty good as juniors, or college players, or amateurs, or whatever, and you get used to winning. And you get out here and it's a lot different. You've got to learn to deal with it.”;

Glover was hoping for some sweet deals after winning the U.S. Open. And while some did come his way last summer, he's been told they aren't as good as they might have been three or four years ago.

“;That's all I know,”; Glover said. “;It's a little different than it was a few years ago. I didn't ask (after receiving offers). That is what I was told, so I didn't ask anything further. I understand (in these tough economic times), everybody is suffering to some extent. I don't know the numbers.”;

What he does know is he has no plans to do much different this year, even with his first major trophy tucked away in his South Carolina home. Does he look at it much?

“;No, it doesn't look good in the middle of the room, I don't think.”;

Will he put any extra pressure on himself to try to win another major? Nope, Glover knows all about the pratfalls of great expectations.

“;I don't have any different expectations of myself,”; Glover said. “;I think other people might. That comes with the territory and I understand that. I'm just trying to keep those in check for me personally. That was a goal this year, to have the same expectations that I had last year, the same attitude, take the good with the bad.”;

Just like that opening hole yesterday?

Exactly.