April 20, 2003

It wasn't a very pretty playoff. In fact, it was down right sloppy, but when it was over after four holes of sudden death at the Harbour Town Golf Links on Hilton Head Island, S.C., Davis Love III had beaten Woody Austin to capture his fifth title in the MCI Heritage Classic and earn his third victory on the 2003 PGA Tour.

Coming down the stretch in the 16th event of the season, seven golfers were tied for the lead at 12-under. However, standing in the 18th fairway waiting to hit his approach to the final hole of regulation, Austin, who was trying to win for the second time in his career and for the first time in eight years, was told he had the lead at 13-under. That's when he heard a deafening roar as the crowd reacted to Love's dramatic play at the last hole.

Love, who started the final round tied for fifth place, pushed his approach right of the green nearly 70 feet from the hole, but he told his brother Mark, who was on his bag again at the Heritage, he would chip it in for birdie. That's what he did to tie Austin at 13-under, and immediately pointed to Mark before exchanging high fives. "I was so excited because I finally put my mind to it," Love said.

Knowing Love had won four previous tournaments on Hilton Head Island, Austin took it all in stride. "This is a great place for him, obviously, and great things happen to him here." That description turned out to be very prophetic after the two golfers finished regulation play, following Love's 67 and a 68 by Austin, deadlocked at 271.

Austin, whose only win came in the 1995 Buick Open, managed to get past the first playoff hole despite a penalty shot after his drive hooked into the marsh along the 18th fairway. The two golfers continued the playoff at the 16th hole, and Austin missed makeable putts at both the second and third extra holes. Then came number 18 again, and Love hit a perfect six-iron approach which glanced off the pin and settled just three feet away.

The short birdie gave Love his third win of the current season and the winner's check of $810,000 from the $4.5 million dollar purse lifted him to the top of the 2003 money list with $3,685,645. That pushed Mike Weir and Tiger Woods, who didn't play the Heritage, into second and third place.

Austin earned $486,000 for finishing second and jumped from 99th place into the top 25. "It's been a long time since I felt I was hitting this good," Austin explained. "It's fun to be back in the game."

Sunday's win marked the second time during his 18 years as a pro Love has won three times in a single season. In 1992, his first million dollar season, Love recorded victories at the Players' Championship, the MCI Heritage Classic and the Greater Greensboro Open. He's the second golfer this year, lefty Mike Weir being the other, to win three events. Tiger Woods and Ernie Els have two victories each, so ten of the 16 professional events thus far have been won by just four different golfers.

Five of Love's 17 career victories have come at the Heritage, and he has also taken a couple of titles at the Players' Championship as well as the Pebble Beach National Pro-Am.

"This place has always been good to me," Love said. "I hear a lot of jokes around the locker room about me being automatic here or whatever, but I feel like I'm comfortable here. Maybe when I get in trouble or when I hit a bad shot, I don't lose my patience quite as fast here."

His career earnings now total nearly $23 million and more than $2 million of that amount has been earned on the Harbour Town Golf Links.