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Love puts Capital Open in focus
Maryland, June 05: Davis Love III, with next week`s U.S. Open at the back of his mind, has his sights set on a fourth PGA Tour title of the year at this week`s Capital Open at the Tournament Players Club at Avenel.
Maryland, June 05: Davis Love III, with next week's U.S. Open at the back of his mind, has his sights set on a fourth PGA Tour title of the year at this week's Capital Open at the Tournament Players Club at Avenel.
The world number three has been one of the game's form players during 2003 and, with wins at Pebble Beach, the Players' Championship and the Heritage Classic already under his belt, will be a leading contender at Olympia Fields next week.
"I've come out this year feeling better, feeling stronger, and with a new commitment to working on my attitude, my routine (and) my off-course mental preparation," said the 39-year-old from North Carolina. "That's what has kept me going."
His most impressive victory of the year came at the prestigious Players' Championship at Sawgrass, widely regarded by the players as golf's 'fifth major'. He overwhelmed the strongest field in the game with an eight-under-par 64 on the last day to win the $6.5 million event by six shots.
Love, who also won the title in 1992, earned $1.17 million in taking his second tournament of the season and the 16th of his career with a total of 17-under 271.
"If that's what the back nine of a major championship feels like with a lead, at least I know how it feels now," he said after his triumph, before going on to tie for 15th at the U.S. Masters in his next start.
The very next week, Love won the Heritage, edging out Woody Austin at the fourth extra hole, and few would bet against the 1997 U.S. PGA champion winning again this week from a field including only two other players in the world's top 10.
World number six Phil Mickelson and seventh-ranked Padraig Harrington are also playing at the Tournament Players Club, as is defending champion Bob Estes, currently ranked 18th.
Estes won last year's title, the fifth of his PGA Tour career, with a closing round of one-under-par 70 for a one-shot victory over the 1999 winner Rich Beem, who fired a two-under 69.
However, Fred Couples, one of the bigger names in the initial field, will be absent this week after continuing back trouble forced his withdrawal on Monday. The 1992 U.S. Masters champion, who was a popular winner of this year's Houston Open, could also be sidelined from next week's U.S. Open.
"His back has become a very difficult situation," his agent told reporters earlier this week. "Right now, he's pretty much incapable of doing anything, much less play golf.
"He feels very badly about this because he knows there's a new sponsor (of the tournament) and he wanted to play."
The agent added that surgery was "not an option at this time" but could be if his back deteriorated.
"It's obviously a big loss," said Ben Brundred, chairman of the tournament's board of directors. "Next to Tiger (Woods) and Annika (Sorenstam), the next tier is Fred, Davis Love and Phil Mickelson, as far as selling tickets (is concerned).
"I know he wanted to play, it's really too bad."
Bureau Report
The world number three has been one of the game's form players during 2003 and, with wins at Pebble Beach, the Players' Championship and the Heritage Classic already under his belt, will be a leading contender at Olympia Fields next week.
"I've come out this year feeling better, feeling stronger, and with a new commitment to working on my attitude, my routine (and) my off-course mental preparation," said the 39-year-old from North Carolina. "That's what has kept me going."
His most impressive victory of the year came at the prestigious Players' Championship at Sawgrass, widely regarded by the players as golf's 'fifth major'. He overwhelmed the strongest field in the game with an eight-under-par 64 on the last day to win the $6.5 million event by six shots.
Love, who also won the title in 1992, earned $1.17 million in taking his second tournament of the season and the 16th of his career with a total of 17-under 271.
"If that's what the back nine of a major championship feels like with a lead, at least I know how it feels now," he said after his triumph, before going on to tie for 15th at the U.S. Masters in his next start.
The very next week, Love won the Heritage, edging out Woody Austin at the fourth extra hole, and few would bet against the 1997 U.S. PGA champion winning again this week from a field including only two other players in the world's top 10.
World number six Phil Mickelson and seventh-ranked Padraig Harrington are also playing at the Tournament Players Club, as is defending champion Bob Estes, currently ranked 18th.
Estes won last year's title, the fifth of his PGA Tour career, with a closing round of one-under-par 70 for a one-shot victory over the 1999 winner Rich Beem, who fired a two-under 69.
However, Fred Couples, one of the bigger names in the initial field, will be absent this week after continuing back trouble forced his withdrawal on Monday. The 1992 U.S. Masters champion, who was a popular winner of this year's Houston Open, could also be sidelined from next week's U.S. Open.
"His back has become a very difficult situation," his agent told reporters earlier this week. "Right now, he's pretty much incapable of doing anything, much less play golf.
"He feels very badly about this because he knows there's a new sponsor (of the tournament) and he wanted to play."
The agent added that surgery was "not an option at this time" but could be if his back deteriorated.
"It's obviously a big loss," said Ben Brundred, chairman of the tournament's board of directors. "Next to Tiger (Woods) and Annika (Sorenstam), the next tier is Fred, Davis Love and Phil Mickelson, as far as selling tickets (is concerned).
"I know he wanted to play, it's really too bad."
Bureau Report