Davis Love III withdraws from The RSM Classic with injury

ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. – Tournament host Davis Love III withdrew midway through the cold, windy second round at The RSM Classic on Friday.

Love, who had struggled to an 82 in Round 1 and had shot 8-over par on the front nine of his second round on the tougher Seaside Course at Sea Island Golf Club, cited a sore wrist.

His struggles Friday included a quadruple-bogey 8 on the second hole, where his drive found the water.

Love, 60, spoke to the media Wednesday and shared his desire to break Mark Brooks’ record for most career starts on the PGA TOUR (803). Love got his 791st start this week but has been plagued by injuries, which over the years have included two hip replacements, neck fusion, wrist ligament damage and, most recently, right thumb surgery last April.

He also needs left thumb surgery, he said.

“There was a plan, like a schedule for me to break the record at (The RSM Classic) like two years ago,” said Love, who was playing the first two rounds 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.”

Although he said he’d had injections in his wrist two weeks ago, they were not enough to alleviate the pain this week. The 21-time PGA TOUR winner, including the PGA Championship and THE PLAYERS Championship twice, added that he would like to play both the PGA TOUR Champions and the PGA TOUR next season, if he can get healthy.

He finished only two tournaments this year on PGA TOUR Champions, most recently a T63 at the Constellation FURYK & FRIENDS in October.