A father-son outing at the U.S. Open

ERIN, Wis. (AP) — Davis Love III is making his 24th appearance in the U.S. Open, with one big difference.

He’ll only have clubs in his hand to clean them, not hit any shots. And for the first time, he’ll be wearing shorts at a major championship. Love is caddying for his son. Davis Love IV, who just finished at Alabama and turned pro, qualified for his first U.S. Open as an alternate from the Georgia sectional qualifier.

“I’m excited for him,” Love said Sunday afternoon as he watched from some 300 yards away as his son, who goes by “Dru,” teed off during a practice round with Ryder Cup captain Jim Furyk. “I’ve played with a bunch of 19- and 20-year-olds. But it makes me feel old that he’s playing.”

Dru Love won’t officially be in the U.S. Open field until the world ranking is published. The USGA held back six spots for anyone who moved into the top 60 in the world ranking after this week. Chris Wood of England finished right at No. 60, meaning the other five spots are distributed to alternates. The Georgia section, where Love was first alternate, was No. 5 on the list. The son will have plenty of experience on the bag. Love won the PGA Championship in 1997 at Winged Foot when Dru was only 3. He also is a two-time Ryder Cup captain who will be inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame this fall. Love played his first U.S. Open at age 24 in 1988, and he was a runner-up in 1996 at Oakland Hills.