THE WOODLANDS — As soon as Davis Love III saw he was paired with Darren Clarke and Miguel Angel Jimenez in Friday’s first round of the Insperity Invitational, one thing immediately crossed his mind.
“The first thought I had was two Europeans against me,” said Love, a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame. “But they’re both guys that, especially Darren, I really enjoy being around and playing with and have a lot of respect for.”
That’s an expected and natural reaction from Love, considering his experience in international play as a player and team captain. Love is a veteran when it comes to captaincy of U.S. teams. He will captain the U.S. team against the Internationals for the 2022 Presidents Cup at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, N.C.
Representing the Americans as a player six times in the Presidents Cup, Love served as an assistant captain in the 2013, 2015 and 2017 events. He was U.S. captain in the 2012 and 2016 Ryder Cups and will be a vice captain to Steve Stricker in the 2021 Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits.
“It’s a big commitment. It’s a fun commitment, though,” Love said. “You get to interact more with guys you compete against every day. You get to take your relationships to a different level. I know we’ve really been focused on getting to know players better.”
Love said Thursday at The Woodlands Country Club Tournament Course that he would like to play more competitive golf in 2021 on PGA Tour Champions.
“I’m ready to get out there and compete,” said Love, who won the 1997 PGA Championship among his 21 PGA Tour victories. “I’ve got a great pairing with Darren (Northern Ireland) and Miguel (Spain), so it’s going to be a fun week. I’ve been playing a lot lately, and I’m starting to feel better about my game.
“We’ve spent a lot of time together competing on the international side but also enjoying the competition and being around each other. The Sunday nights at Ryder Cups are some of the most fun, because that’s the only time in the week that both teams get together really and hang out. One team’s a little happier than the other.”
Love, 57, is competing in the Insperity Invitational for the first time. When he won the 2015 Wyndham Championship, he became the third-oldest winner of a PGA Tour event.
Even though Love, who occasionally still competes in a PGA Tour event, is making a commitment to playing more competitive golf, a good deal of his attention is devoted to getting U.S. players ready for international competition. Wednesday night, Love was texting Stricker on Ryder Cup matters.
“We’re just nonstop working on it, getting prepared, trying to help the team be ready to play,” Love said. “It’s been a big focus of my career, especially since in 2015 we started working together more as captains on a long-range plan.
“It’s hard to believe back (to) 2015 now to the 2022 Presidents Cup team. Steve Stricker and Tiger Woods and Jim Furyk and Tom Lehman and all of us have been working on this plan over five years, and we’re planning for the future with the Zach Johnsons and guys we brought in, the new guys. So it’s exciting. I can’t wait for Whistling Straits right now.”
One person who can appreciate the commitment Love has put in is Ernie Els, 51, who has been in the same shoes. Els, who also will be playing the Insperity for the first time this weekend, was a one and done after being captain of the 2019 International team. Els’ team lost 16-14 to the Americans in the Presidents Cup at Royal Melbourne.
“That’s a lot of work,” Els said. “You’re preparing a team to win, and you want every player to be going the same direction as you’re leading them. Then you have to have some really great team spirit and the guys can see the goal better.”
In addition to being U.S. Ryder Cup captain in 2012 and 2016, Love assisted Furyk in 2018. Love has also been an assistant on U.S. Presidents Cup teams. He assisted Fred Couples (2013), Jay Haas (2015) and Stricker (2017).
As a player, Love participated in six Ryder Cups from 1993-2004 and six Presidents Cup from 1994 to 2005. In the 1993 Ryder Cup at the Belfry in England, Love secured victory for the U.S. by defeating Costantino Rocca on the last hole, winning 1 up.
Love began thinking about being a team captain during that 1993 Ryder Cup, for which Tom Watson was captain. Love said it was an enjoyable experience, and Watson’s words that week made a lasting impression.
“I watched him say things and do things that were just so much bigger than life,” Love said. “Got on the Concord and went and played. I said I just want to keep making teams. And then after I played six Ryder Cups and six President Cups, after a while you start thinking, wait a minute, I’d better start paying attention to what these guys are doing.
“You win a major, you play a bunch of teams, you start thinking maybe I should prepare for this. You never know if it’s going to happen. I’ve been really blessed to be an assistant and captain more than my fair share.”
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Davis Love III can enjoy playing this week at Insperity - Houston Chronicle
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