Davis Love III prepared for Tiger Woods to play a Presidents Cup role

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. – As rituals go, spending his birthday at Harbour Town Golf Links is as sure a bet as you’ll find in the world of golf.

After all, Davis Love III has played here 32 times since 1986. He celebrated his 22nd birthday a few days before his debut. And on the eve of yet another RBC Heritage, Love smiled warmly at the site of a birthday cake commemorating his 58th birthday.

He's won here five times, finished second once, and third once. So, he’s royalty when he’s among the Hilton Head crowd. But on this day, the cake would have to serve as the only gift he would receive because with Love serving as Presidents Cup captain later in the year, this birthday celebration would be spent answering questions.

Like what is Tiger Woods’ role going to be at the Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte on Sept. 22-25?

“Any role he wants,” said Love, quickly and firmly. “We had to pry him off the couch a little bit last winter and spring to get involved in the (2021) Ryder Cup and then once we got him going, he was very engaged and loved it.”

Love joked that if Woods were to say, “‘You’re not captain anymore, I’m going to be the captain,’ we’ll probably have to talk about that one. But anything else (is open). If he wants to be co-captain or assistant captain or player, . . . whatever he wants to do.”

When asked if Love truly believes Woods could play on the Presidents Cup team in five months he nodded his head.

Why?

“Because I didn’t think he would ever play again and he proved us wrong,” said Love. “And then, I didn’t think he could walk 72 holes at Augusta, because that’s one of our hardest walks – and he proved us wrong again.”

So Love joked that it would probably assure a Woods Presidents Cup comeback if he were continue to doubt him.

“Can he do it? I’ll just say no, he’s not going to play enough golf and he won’t be able to do it, so then he’ll do it,” laughed Love. “What could be a better story than him playing the Masters, him playing The Open Championship and working his way back and winning a golf tournament and being at least in the conversation.”

Of all the congratulations Love said he’s received since being named Presidents Cup captain for the first time (he’s a two-time Ryder Cup captain), the one he got from Woods meant the most.

“He calls me and says, ‘All right, you’re captain in Charlotte, it’s the right thing to do at this time.’”

From here on, the calls will be made by Love and his assistants, two of whom – Zach Johnson and Fred Couples – were named this week. Since it’s April and the first major championship of the season is in the books, Love will start taking a serious look at the standings. When he does, he’ll see some names that might surprise folks, players who haven’t been on the international teams.

Love said nothing will surprise him. In fact, “I’m prepared for a different team (than last year’s Ryder Cup team that beat Europe, 19-9). I said it (at the Ryder Cup), we won’t get the same 12 as we had last time. It never works that way.”

Presently, of the top six automatic picks, two have never played on Presidents Cup or Ryder Cup team – Sam Burns, who is No. 2, and Talor Gooch, No. 6. Four players who sit in the No. 6-12 positions (Tom Hoge, Jason Kokrak, Max Homa, and Will Zalatoris) have also not played on either team.

Meanwhile, stalwarts such as Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka, Xander Schauffele, Tony Finau, Daniel Berger, and Bryson DeChambeau are outside the top 12.

“I’ve never really gotten hung up on it early in the year,” said Love. I don’t really start watching until the Masters. There’s a whole bunch of points to go.”

But he didn’t sound concerned, either way.

“You always have some flip-flop (from one team to the next). That’s what’s great about it – you get the hot guys. But the hot guys from last year might not be the hot guys from this year.”