Loves conquer all: Davis & Dru crush field in Father-Son
Davis Love III and his son Dru played so well Sunday that they set two scoring records, rallied from a threeshot deficit to win the PNC Father-Son Challenge and then wondered if they would get to play again.
Team Love shot 27 on the front nine at The Ritz-Carlton Golf Club to get in the mix, took the lead with a birdie at No. 11 and finished off their record round with four more birdies an eagle for a 16-under 56, breaking by one the 18-hole record in a scramble format.
They won by three shots at 26-under 118, another record in the scramble format.
“Who knows? This might be our last time playing, so it was fun to finish it off,” Love said.
The 36-hole event is for players who have won a major or The Players Championship, and their partner cannot hold a PGA Tour-sanctioned card. Dru Love has played 17 times in the last two years on the PGA Tour, European Tour and Web.com Tour, but he has yet to earn a card and missed out in the qualifying tournament this year.
They were unstoppable in the second and final round, making only four pars and the rest birdies and two eagles.
The 56 beat by one the record previously held by Raymond and Raymond Floyd Jr. in 1994 and by Bob and David Charles in 1998. They finished at 26-under 118, breaking by one shot the scramble record most recently set last year by Angel and Angel Cabrera Jr.
John and Little John Daly, who opened with a 59, shot 62 and tied for second with Retief and Leo Goosen and Stewart and Connor Cink.
“He’s been very competitive this week,” Love said of his son. “After a slow start yesterday, it’s nice to get it going and get another win. He carried me all the way through this one. He played great. It was fun to watch him hit so many good shots and make so many putts.” Team Love also won the event in 2012.
Dru Love last played on the PGA Tour last month in the RSM Classic at Sea Island. He tied for 54th, finishing just ahead of his father for the second time in 13 tour events they have played together.
“Winning a tournament with our dad is more special than trying to beat him,” Dru Love said.
David and Carter Toms finished fifth, while Jack Nicklaus made another big putt at the end, good for a 64 as he and grandson GT Nicklaus finished sixth.
College football
COACH OF YEAR FINALISTS >> UCF’s Josh Heupel, Notre Dame’s Brian Kelly and Alabama’s Nick Saban are the finalists for The Associated Press national college football coach of the year after leading their teams to unbeaten regular seasons. The winner will be announced today.
Winter sports
VONN SET FOR RETURN >> Lindsey Vonn is hoping to return from injury next month and resume her pursuit of the all-time World Cup wins record, according to the U.S. Ski Team’s head coach.
“That’s what we’re hopeful for. That’s the plan,” Paul Kristofic told The Associated Press.
Vonn hyperextended and sprained a ligament in her knee during a training crash on Nov. 19. She also suffered a bone bruise in the crash, in which she fell on a turn, did the splits and went into the protective fence. AMERICANS LAND LUGE SILVER >> Chris Mazdzer, who competes as both a singles and doubles entrant for USA Luge on the World Cup circuit, teamed with Jayson Terdiman for a silver medal in the doubles sprint race, one of two medals won by the Americans at Mount Van Hoevenberg.
Women’s volleyball
STANFORD APOLOGIZES >> Stanford Athletic Director Bernard Muir issued an apology for a drawing on a whiteboard that was photographed in the team locker room after the Cardinal’s five-set victory over Nebraska Saturday for the NCAA title. The drawing showed mascot violence directed toward Nebraska’s Herbie Husker. The @NCAAVolleyball account tweeted then deleted the photo, presumably after noticing the illustration.