Davis Love III is making his 24th appearance in the US Open, with one big difference.
He'll only have clubs in his hand to clean them, not hit any shots. And for the first time, he'll be wearing shorts at a major championship.
Love is caddying for his son.
Davis Love IV, who just finished college and turned pro, qualified for his first US Open as an alternate from the Georgia sectional qualifier.
"I'm excited for him," Love said Sunday afternoon as he watched from some 300 yards away as his son, who goes by "Dru," teed off during a practice round with Ryder Cup captain Jim Furyk. "I've played with a bunch of 19 and 20-year-olds. But it makes me feel old that he's playing."
Dru Love won't officially be in the US Open field until the world ranking is published. The USGA held back six spots for anyone who moved into the top 60 in the world ranking after this week.
Chris Wood of England finished right at No. 60, meaning the other five spots are distributed to alternates. The Georgia section, where Love was first alternate, was No. 5 on the list.
The son will have plenty of experience on the bag.
Love won the PGA Championship in 1997 at Winged Foot when Dru was only three. He also is a two-time Ryder Cup captain who will be inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame this autumn. Love played his first US Open at age 24 in 1988, and he was a runner-up in 1996 at Oakland Hills.
The 53-year-old Love has been hampered by a bad back this year and had no intention of trying to qualify for the US Open until he caddied for his son at the first stage of US Open qualifying and Dru made it to the sectional qualifier.
Love played in the Columbus, Ohio, qualifier and missed out by eight shots.
"The main reason I went is because he was going," Love said. "I thought, 'If I don't try and he gets in ... I had to try."
Erin Hills was busy for a late afternoon with strong wind. Playing ahead of the Love group was two-time US Open champion Ernie Els. Walking off the second tee, he looked back at the green and recognised a longtime colleague in shorts and carrying the bag.
"Hey, caddie!" Els called out to Love.
"I finally found a job," Love replied.
"Ryder Cup captain. PGA champion. Caddie. I think you finally found something," Els said with that easy smile.
Dru Love will be making his second start in a PGA Tour sanctioned event. He played in the 2015 RSM Classic at Sea Island, which his father hosts, and missed the cut.
Dru Love is the third generation to play in the US Open. Davis Love Jr., a noted teaching pro, played in the US Open six times.
Share
