Why We Love Davis Love III

By Richard Diaz
Love of Sports Correspondent

Thanks to Tiger Woods, the PGA has made a triumphant return to the mainstream.

I realize that without him, good tournaments were played and champions were crowned. Having said that, there’s no denying the fact that golf’s been on hiatus since he went down with an injury.

Now that he’s back in the field, every other sports story is about the U.S. Open. ESPN actually carried opening round action, as opposed to the Cup Stacking or Scrabble that usually clogs up daytime coverage. And while the return of El Tigre is fantastic, I couldn’t help but be swept up by the ghost story.

What’s that? You didn’t know we were witnessing a ghost story play out in front of the world?

Well, just as Charles Dickens introduced us to the Ghost of Christmas Past, Davis Love III is in the midst of introducing us to the Ghost of Golf’s Past. In case you hadn’t realized it yet, he’s sitting at one-under par as we head into the weekend.

I realize it’s kind of strange to read something about a guy who’s a couple of shots back, but at the same time, we’re talking about Davis Love here.

We’re talking about a fan favorite who had to qualify for this tournament, making it the first time since 1990 he had to play his way in. We’re talking about a player whose name was once as relevant as Phil Mickelson. More so than any of that, we’re talking about a guy that’s easy to cheer for.

Prior to the Masters back in April, Love was in the midst of an impressive streak that had stretched to 70 consecutive majors appearances. Unfortunately, he didn’t have a good qualifying round and failed to earn an entry. More over, he’s hasn’t made the U.S. international team in two years. And in case you’re wondering, he’d been a premiere member of those squads the preceding 13 years.

With all of that behind him, Love’s had the look of a man on a mission, and the timing couldn’t be more appropriate. With old school favorites like Kenny Perry and Justin Leonard having recently won tournaments, it’d be a pretty cool thing to see him win it all on Father’s Day.

Here’s to giving up some love for a guy who we’ve all cheered for at one point in time or another.

I realize the hoopla over Tiger’s return will overshadow any other golf story this weekend, and rightfully so. However, that’s no reason to overlook the fact that, at 44 years young, Davis Love III is in contention for something he hasn’t seen in 11 years, that being a victory in a major.

So, here’s a shout out to an old school favorite, David Love III. This Love of Sports correspondent will definitely be pulling for you.