Davis Milton Love III (born April 13, 1964) is an American professional golfer who has won 21 events on the PGA Tour, including one major championship: the 1997 PGA Championship. He won the Players Championship in 1992 and 2003. He was in the top 10 of the Official World Golf Ranking for over 450 weeks, reaching a high ranking of 2nd. He captained the U.S. Ryder Cup teams in 2012 and 2016. Love was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2017.
Early life Davis Milton Love III was born on April 13, 1964, in Charlotte, North Carolina, to Davis Love Jr. and his wife, Helen, a day after his father competed in the final round at the 1964 Masters Tournament. His father, who was a former pro and nationally recognized golf instructor, introduced him to the game. His mother is also an avid low-handicap golfer. His father was killed in a 1988 plane crash.
Love attended high school in Brunswick, Georgia, and graduated from its Glynn Academy in 1982.
Amateur career Love played college golf at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, where he was a three-time All-American and all-Atlantic Coast Conference. He won six titles during his collegiate career, including the ACC tournament championship as a sophomore in 1984.
Professional career In 1985, Love turned professional. He earned his PGA Tour card late in the season at 1985 PGA Tour Qualifying School. It was his first attempt at PGA Tour Qualifying school on his first attempt. He quickly established himself on the PGA Tour, winning his first tour event in 1987 at the MCI Heritage Golf Classic at Harbour Town Golf Links. He would later win this event four more times, setting a record for the most victories in the tournament.
In 1994, Love founded Love Golf Design, a golf course architecture company with his younger brother and caddie, Mark Love. The company has been responsible for the design of several courses throughout the southeast United States. Completed in 1997, Ocean Creek is his first signature course and is located on Fripp Island, South Carolina. Love also designed the Dunes course at Diamante in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, which is ranked among Golf Magazines Top 100 courses in the world.
Love was a consistent contender and winner on the PGA Tour in the 1990s and early 2000s, but the most memorable win came at the 1997 PGA Championship, his only major championship victory. It was played at Winged Foot Golf Club near New York City, and just four players in the field finished under-par for the week. Love's winning score was 11-under-par, five strokes better than runner-up Justin Leonard. When Love sank his birdie putt on the final hole of the championship, it was under the arc of a rainbow, which appeared as he walked up to the 18th green. In the telecast, CBS Sports announcer Jim Nantz made the connection between the rainbow and Love's late father, Davis Love Jr., who was a well-known and beloved figure in the golf world. This victory was the last major championship win achieved with a wooden-headed driver.
Love has had success late in his regular career. On November 9, 2008, Love earned his 20th PGA Tour win at the Children's Miracle Network Classic, which gave him a lifetime exemption on Tour.
Senior career After failing to qualify for the FedEx Cup in 2014, Love made his Champions Tour debut at the Pacific Links Hawaii Championship.
Love's victory in the 2015 Wyndham Championship—at age 51—made him the third-oldest winner in PGA Tour history, trailing only Sam Snead and Art Wall Jr. The win made Love the oldest PGA Tour winner in the PGA Tour Champions era (since 1980). It also brought Love into select company in another PGA Tour distinction: he became only the third player to win on the tour in four different decades, joining Snead and Raymond Floyd.
Love's son Davis Love IV (better known as Dru Love) is also a professional golfer. Love has worked with his son at a number of tournaments. In 2015, his son earned a sponsor exemption into the RSM Classic while still an amateur; Love III serves as the host. After Love failed to qualify for the 2017 U.S. Open, he caddied for Dru, who made his professional debut. On December 16, 2018, Love and his son Dru won the Father/Son Challenge at Ritz-Carlton Golf Club in Orlando, Florida.
Love has served as the captain of several national teams as a senior. In 2012, he was the captain of the American Ryder Cup team. Four years later, he was captain of the 2016 Ryder Cup. Six year later, Love captained the U.S. team to victory in the 2022 Presidents Cup.
For the 2020 PGA Tour season, Love joined CBS as a full-time analyst. In July 2020, Love announced that he was leaving his role with CBS in order to "focus on my family, play a few tournaments, and bring some stability back in a difficult year."
Personal life He and his wife Robin have two children. On March 27, 2020, Love's home in St. Simons Island, Georgia, was destroyed in a fire. Love and his wife escaped without injury.
Love is a Republican, and has donated money to Johnny Isakson and George W. Bush.
Awards and honors
In 1997, his book, Every Shot I Take, received the United States Golf Association's International Book Award. In 2008, Love III won the Payne Stewart Award In 2013, he earned the Bob Jones Award In 2017, Love III was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame
Amateur wins 1984 North and South Amateur, Middle Atlantic Amateur
Professional wins (37) PGA Tour wins (21) Legend Major championships (1) Players Championships (2) Other PGA Tour (18) No.DateTournamentWinning scoreTo parMargin ofvictoryRunner(s)-up1Apr 19, 1987MCI Heritage Golf Classic70-67-67-67=271−131 stroke Steve Jones2Aug 19, 1990The International14 pts (8-0-15-14=14)3 points Steve Pate, Eduardo Romero, Peter Senior3Apr 21, 1991MCI Heritage Golf Classic (2)65-68-68-70=271−132 strokes Ian Baker-Finch4Mar 29, 1992The Players Championship67-68-71-67=273−154 strokes Ian Baker-Finch, Phil Blackmar, Nick Faldo, Tom Watson5Apr 19, 1992MCI Heritage Golf Classic (3)67-67-68-67=269−154 strokes Chip Beck6Apr 26, 1992KMart Greater Greensboro Open71-68-71-62=272−166 strokes John Cook7Jan 10, 1993Infiniti Tournament of Champions67-67-69-69=272−161 stroke Tom Kite8Oct 24, 1993Las Vegas Invitational67-66-67-65-66=331−298 strokes Craig Stadler9Apr 2, 1995Freeport-McMoRan Classic68-69-66-71=274−14Playoff Mike Heinen10Feb 11, 1996Buick Invitational66-70-69-64=269−192 strokes Phil Mickelson 11Aug 17, 1997PGA Championship66-71-66-66=269−115 strokes Justin Leonard12Oct 5, 1997Buick Challenge67-65-67-68=267−214 strokes Stewart Cink13Apr 19, 1998MCI Classic (4)67-68-66-65=266−187 strokes Glen Day14Feb 4, 2001AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am71-69-69-63=272−161 stroke Vijay Singh15Feb 9, 2003AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am (2)72-67-67-68=274−141 stroke Tom Lehman16Mar 30, 2003The Players Championship (2)70-67-70-64=271−176 strokes Jay Haas, Pádraig Harrington17Apr 20, 2003MCI Heritage (5)66-69-69-67=271−13Playoff Woody Austin 18Aug 10, 2003The International (2)46 pts (19-17-5-5=46)12 points Retief Goosen, Vijay Singh19Oct 8, 2006Chrysler Classic of Greensboro (2)69-69-68-66=272−162 strokes Jason Bohn20Nov 9, 2008Children's Miracle Network Classic66-69-64-64=263−251 stroke Tommy Gainey21Aug 23, 2015Wyndham Championship (3)64-66-69-64=263−171 stroke Jason GorePGA Tour playoff record (2–7)No.YearTournamentOpponent(s)Result11989Nestle Invitational Tom KiteLost to par on second extra hole21991NEC World Series of Golf Jim Gallagher Jr., Tom PurtzerPurtzer won with par on second extra hole31992Nissan Los Angeles Open Fred CouplesLost to birdie on second extra hole41995Freeport-McMoRan Classic Mike HeinenWon with birdie on second extra hole51996Buick Challenge Michael Bradley, Fred Funk, John Maginnes, Len MattiaceBradley won with birdie on first extra hole61996Las Vegas Invitational Tiger WoodsLost to par on first extra hole72000GTE Byron Nelson Classic Phil Mickelson, Jesper ParnevikParnevik won with par on third extra holeMickelson eliminated by birdie on second hole82001Buick Invitational Frank Lickliter, Phil MickelsonMickelson won with double-bogey on third extra holeLove eliminated by par on second hole92003MCI Heritage Woody AustinWon with birdie on fourth extra hole
PGA of Japan Tour wins (1) No.DateTournamentWinning scoreTo parMargin ofvictoryRunners-up1May 3, 1998The Crowns64-71-67-67=269−118 strokes Rick Gibson, Masanobu Kimura, Brian Watts
Other wins (15) No.DateTournamentWinning scoreTo parMargin ofvictoryRunner(s)-up1Dec 2, 1990JCPenney Classic(with Beth Daniel)67-70-62-67=266−125 strokes Jay Haas and Nancy Lopez2Nov 8, 1992World Cup(with Fred Couples)134-139-140-135=548−281 stroke − Anders Forsbrand and Per-Ulrik Johansson3Nov 15, 1992Kapalua International65-71-72-67=275−171 stroke Mike Hulbert4Nov 22, 1992Franklin Funds Shark Shootout(with Tom Kite)65-69-59=191−251 stroke Billy Ray Brown and Nick Price, Fred Couples and Raymond Floyd, Hale Irwin and Bruce Lietzke5Nov 14, 1993World Cup of Golf (2)(with Fred Couples)137-140-141-138=556−205 strokes − Mark McNulty and Nick Price6Nov 13, 1994World Cup of Golf (3)(with Fred Couples)132-129-137-138=536−4014 strokes − Tony Johnstone and Mark McNulty7Nov 12, 1995World Cup of Golf (4)(with Fred Couples)133-136-138-136=543−3314 strokes − Robert Allenby and Brett Ogle8Nov 12, 1995World Cup of Golf Individual Trophy65-67-68-67=267−21Playoff Hisayuki Sasaki9Dec 3, 1995JCPenney Classic (2)(with Beth Daniel)66-65-63-63=257−272 strokes Helen Alfredsson and Robert Gamez10Nov 9, 1997Lincoln-Mercury Kapalua International (2)67-66-67-68=268−204 strokes Olin Browne, David Toms11Jul 11, 2000CVS Charity Classic(with Justin Leonard)60-66=126−163 strokes Steve Elkington and Craig Stadler12Dec 3, 2000Williams World Challenge67-64-71-64=266−222 strokes Tiger Woods13Dec 14, 2003Target World Challenge (2)70-72-63-72=277−112 strokes Tiger Woods14Dec 16, 2012PNC Father-Son Challenge(with son Dru Love)60-61=121−231 stroke Larry Nelson and son Josh Nelson15Dec 16, 2018PNC Father-Son Challenge (2)(with son Dru Love)62-56=118−263 strokes Stewart Cink and son Connor Cink, John Daly and son John Daly II, Retief Goosen and son Leo GoosenOther playoff record (1–3)No.YearTournamentOpponent(s)Result11991Isuzu Kapalua International Mike HulbertLost to birdie on first extra hole21995World Cup of Golf Individual Trophy Hisayuki SasakiWon with par on fifth extra hole32008CVS Caremark Charity Classic(with Billy Andrade) Paul Goydos and Tim Herron, Rocco Mediate and Brandt Snedeker, Camilo Villegas and Bubba WatsonVillegas/Watson won by 1 stroke in three-hole aggregate playoff42015PNC Father-Son Challenge Fred Funk and son Taylor Funk, Larry Nelson and son Drew Nelson, Lanny Wadkins and son Tucker WadkinsTeam Wadkins won with eagle on first extra hole
Major championships Wins (1) YearChampionship54 holesWinning scoreMarginRunner-up 1997 PGA Championship Tied for lead −11 (66-71-66-66=269) 5 strokes Justin Leonard
Results timeline Results not in chronological order in 2020. Tournament1986198719881989Masters TournamentCUTU.S. OpenCUTT33The Open ChampionshipCUTCUTT23PGA ChampionshipT47CUTT17
Tournament1990199119921993199419951996199719981999Masters TournamentT42T25T54CUT2T7T7T332U.S. OpenT11T60T33T28T4T2T16CUTT12The Open ChampionshipCUTT44CUTCUTT38T98CUTT108T7PGA ChampionshipT40T32T33T31CUTCUTCUT1T7T49
Tournament2000200120022003200420052006200720082009Masters TournamentT7CUTT14T15T6CUTT22T27U.S. OpenCUTT7T24CUTCUTT6CUTCUTT53The Open ChampionshipT11T21T14T4T5CUTCUTCUTT19T27PGA ChampionshipT9T37T48CUTCUTT4T34CUTCUTCUT Tournament 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018Masters TournamentCUTT42U.S. OpenT6T11T29The Open ChampionshipCUTT9CUTPGA ChampionshipT55T72CUTCUTCUTCUTCUTCUT Tournament20192020Masters TournamentPGA ChampionshipCUTU.S. OpenThe Open ChampionshipNT
CUT = missed the half-way cut "T" indicates a tie for a place NT = No tournament due to COVID-19 pandemic
Summary