Davis Love III stuck on cusp of record for career PGA TOUR starts

ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. – Oft-injured Davis Love III isn’t giving up on his plan to break Mark Brooks’ record for most career starts on the PGA TOUR (803).

Love, who spoke to the media Wednesday in his role as tournament host at The RSM Classic, is at 790 starts but hasn’t made much progress of late. The reason is injuries, which over the years have included two hip replacements; spinal fusion; wrist ligament damage; and, most recently, right thumb surgery last April.

He also needs left thumb surgery but hasn’t gotten around to it yet.

“There was a plan, like a schedule for me to break the record at (The RSM Classic) like two years ago,” said Love, 60, who will tee off Thursday with fellow Sea Island residents Jonathan Byrd and Zach Johnson. “And then I had my hip replaced and things started going. I’ve probably missed five years of the last 10 to injury.”

Dr. Gary Lourie, orthopedic hand surgeon for the Atlanta Braves, did Love’s thumb surgery; he did such a good job that Love reports no pain.

His right wrist, though, has been bothering him.

“It was better today,” he said. “I had some injections two weeks ago up in Atlanta.”

The biggest question for the 21-time PGA TOUR winner, including the PGA Championship and THE PLAYERS Championship twice, is whether he can get and stay healthy. He only completed two tournaments this year on PGA TOUR Champions, most recently a T63 at the Constellation FURYK & FRIENDS in October.

Still, Love said he’s planning to play PGA TOUR Champions and the PGA TOUR in ’25.

“I hope so,” he said. “I keep saying this year after year … but I keep getting hurt. Last 10 years I probably played five of them, so I'm behind physically.

“I still want to break that record of Mark Brooks and I still want to play good on the Champions Tour, which I haven't done yet,” he continued. “So yes, I'll try to play some on both if I can get a little bit more ball speed and putts to go in.”

When and where might we see him on the PGA TOUR? Having played professional golf for four decades, Love has the answer to that mapped out.

“I’ll pick and choose,” he said.

He likes the Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches, the Valspar Championship, the Corales Puntacana Championship and the World Wide Technology Championship in Los Cabos, Mexico, which he said he would have played recently had he felt better.

But he wants to do more than just show up. Don’t forget, Love’s 21st and most recent TOUR win came at the 2015 Wyndham Championship – when he was 51.

“I want to get back to where I can be a little competitive,” he said, “and not just going, 'Am I gonna make the cut this week?' I remember when Tom Watson showed up; he played. He competed. He was really good. Before I’m done, I want to play.”