Davis Love III is finally getting over the disappointment of failing to qualify for the U.S. Ryder Cup team and being passed over as one of Tom Lehman’s two captain’s picks.
Love snapped out of a three- year slump and shook off those lingering Ryder Cup blues Sunday by winning on the course he redesigned, shooting a 6-under- par 66 for his second victory in the Chrysler Classic of Greensboro (N.C.).
“I told Tom Lehman about a month before the PGA that I was going to play good before the end of the year. I just couldn’t promise him when it was going to be,” Love said. “He took that to heart, I guess, and I knew I was close. I knew when I got on the way that I would play well, and it took maybe some time off, some reflecting and getting my patience back.”
A native of Charlotte who played at North Carolina, the 42-year-old Love had three straight birdies late in the round to seal his 19th PGA Tour victory and first since 2003. He finished at 16-under 272 and earned $900,000.
“People want me to win. They expect me to win,” Love said. “Especially at a place like this.”
Jason Bohn (66) finished two strokes back at 14-under, and Eric Axley (67) and Steve Flesch (68) were another shot behind.
Love redesigned the Forest Oaks Country Club course three years ago to change and lengthen the layout to 7,333 yards.
LPGA: Mexican star Lorena Ochoa won her first tour title in her home country, closing with a 4-under 69 to hold off Julieta Granada and Paula Creamer at the Corona Morelia Championship in Mexico.
Ochoa, who never trailed after shooting a course-record 64 in the second round, won for the fourth time this season to tie Karrie Webb for the tour lead. The 24-year-old Ochoa finished at 20-under 272, five strokes better than Granada.
Champions Tour: Tom Jenkins earned his seventh career tour title after soggy conditions forced the cancellation of the final round of the SAS Championship in Cary, N.C.
The 58-year-old finished at 10-under 134 for 36 holes, beating tour money leader Loren Roberts and Chip Beck by a stroke.
European Tour: Padraig Harrington shot a 4-under 68 in St. Andrews, Scotland, to win the Dunhill Links Championship by five strokes for his first victory in Europe in two years.
