Davis Love III makes comeback at Champions after undergoing open-heart surgery
PGA Tour Champions member Davis Love III, who is a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame, recorded a 3-over 75 on Friday at the Mitsubishi Classic in Duluth, Ga. This placed him 13 strokes behind the leader after the first round.
However, Love was not concerned about his score on this particular day.
Less than three months ago, the 61-year-old underwent open-heart surgery to fix a leaky valve. He then returned to TPC Sugarloaf to compete in the event.
After only participating in three tournaments in 2024, with his last being the Constellation Furyk & Friends in October, Love decided it was time to undergo a procedure that had been planned for several years.
In an interview with Golfweek earlier this year, Love shared how a routine doctor's visit 10 years ago led to a diagnosis that potentially saved his life.
During a normal physical, his doctor discovered a heart murmur and referred the 1997 PGA Championship winner to a cardiologist. This is when the leaky valve was discovered.
Love stated, "I had no symptoms, I never felt bad. I never had anything other than a little bit of high blood pressure." He also expressed his gratitude for the doctors who prevented a potential tragedy and mentioned that he plans to make the most of his current valve before eventually getting a replacement in 10-15 years.
Although the surgery took place in January, Love had to wait until spring to start hitting golf balls while his cracked ribs healed.
"I'm not very patient at all," Love admitted. "They told me I could start putting in March and my daughter told me, 'Well, you're scooping horse stalls already, I think that's harder than putting. Why don't you go putt?' I literally stopped at the gym at Sea Island on my way home from the hospital to start doing something."
As for his goals on the course, Love still has a lot to play for. He is still searching for his first win on the PGA Champions Tour and Friday marked his 53rd start on the tour. He also has his sights set on breaking the PGA Tour record for career starts, currently sitting at 790, just nine behind second-place Jay Haas and 13 behind Mark Brooks' record of 803.
