Golf

Game of Love dominates TPC field

Davis Love shoots 64 to win by six shots in what one golfer calls ''the best round of golf I've ever seen played.''

By BOB HARIG, Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times
published March 31, 2003

PONTE VEDRA BEACH -- There was no rainbow and, technically, no major-championship hardware. But the circumstances were just as satisfying for Davis Love. Maybe more so.

One of golf's top players for years but also one who had developed a reputation as an underachiever, Love produced under pressure Sunday during the final round of the prestigious Players Championship, shooting 8-under-par 64 to win by six shots.

Under the circumstances, it probably was the best round of Love's 18-year career, a six-birdie, one-eagle effort on a day when rain, cold and swirling winds made for a tense finale at the TPC-Sawgrass Stadium Course.

"It was an incredible round," he said of the 64, which matched the best closing round in the 30-year history of TPC. "I'm as thrilled as I can be."

Love, who began the round two shots behind leaders Padraig Harrington and Jay Haas, blew past them with birdies on Nos. 8-12.

He sealed his 16th PGA Tour victory by knocking a 197-yard 6-iron shot from the woods onto the green at the par-5 16th, before holing the 15-foot putt for eagle. The win was worth $1,170-million of the $6.5-million purse.

"I watched just an unbelievable round," said Fred Couples, who was paired with Love and shot 74 to finish 10th. "It's the best round of golf I've ever seen played."

"A 64 ... you wouldn't have thought that was possible," said Harrington, who tied for second with Haas. "One good thing is you don't feel too bad finishing second to it. He just kept going and going. He kept pouring it on."

Love, who won the 1992 Players Championship, shot 271, 17 under par. Haas and Harrington shot 72 to tie for second at 277. Robert Allenby (65) and Jim Furyk (69) tied for fourth at 278. Tiger Woods, who started the final round five strokes back, shot 72 and tied for 11th, 11 strokes behind Love and his first finish outside the top 10 since last summer's British Open.

It was an important victory for Love, 38, the seventh-ranked player in the world who two weeks ago blew a final-round lead at the Honda Classic and cemented further his stature as a player who can't consistently get it done.

"It was definitely one of the biggest challenges of my career," he said. "I certainly didn't need another near miss."

Love's career has been successful and disappointing. Sixteen PGA Tour victories, even in the Woods era, is impressive. So is a PGA Championship and two Players titles. He has won more than $22-million, second only to Woods.

But there also is the knowledge that it could have been better. Much is made of Woods winning 28 of 30 times when he holds the lead through 54 holes. Love has done so just nine of 22 times, and only once in the past 10.

Two weeks ago, in a birdie-fest at the Honda Classic, Love lost a third-round lead to Justin Leonard, shooting 37 on the back nine. That was the 24th second-place finish of his career, including 13 since 1999.

Love is well-compensated, but Avis should be one of his sponsors.

"I've had a lot of times when I didn't pull it off, and I wasn't going to let that happen again," he said. "Now I didn't plan on shooting 64, don't get me wrong. But I was planning on doing the best job I could do."

Love won the 1997 PGA Championship at Winged Foot, his only major title, on a day when a rainbow filled the sky. But he has had 13 other top 10s at the majors, including twice at the Masters and once at the U.S. Open. The Players isn't a major, but it's close.

Perhaps two victories in the same season for the first time since 1997 will spur him on.

"Davis is somebody I think should win all the time," Couples said. "And it's not that easy. We all know Tiger is winning all the time. For Davis to get a couple (victories), and maybe he should have had three. ... I don't think it's some turning point because he's too good. But I think the way he's swinging and playing it's going to be a monster year. He's paying attention and trying to play his best golf at a great age."

Love has blamed his recent slump -- before this year, just one victory in four seasons -- on physical ailments, which included back problems and chronic neck pain.

Now healthy, is he ready to challenge Woods? Is he ready to aim higher than ever?

"I fully expect that if I stick with it, I can do anything I want to do, as long as I'm prepared," Love said. "At least now I'm back to where I was when I was a guy picked to win. The last few years I haven't been a guy picked to win. It's nice to be back in that position."

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