GOLF / DAN HAFNER : Love Is Hoping for a Major Improvement

It is customary to think of Davis Love III as one of the veterans of the PGA Tour. Although he is starting his ninth season on the regular tour, is a Ryder Cup star and has won eight tournaments, the former North Carolina golfer is only 29.

As he prepares to defend his title in the Mercedes Championships, the first event of the season, Love seems to be maturing into one of the top players.

Once known mainly for his prodigious drives, Love will be one of the favorites at La Costa in what used to be the Tournament of Champions. The $1.5-million, 72-hole tournament, which has separate regular and senior events, starts Thursday.

Love won five tournaments in the last two years, but was considered only one of the many solid players on the tour until the Ryder Cup last fall. One down with two holes to play against Italy’s Costantino Rocca on the final day, Love rallied to win the last two holes. His six-foot uphill putt on the final hole clinched a 15-13 victory for the United States over the Europeans. Coming through under heavy pressure put Love in the limelight.

“Raymond Floyd said that if you can withstand the pressure in Ryder Cup competition, you should be ready to move to the next level,” Love said.

“I can’t imagine any more pressure than that last putt. I knew I had to make it. Seeing it later on tape, it was harder than it looked.

“I haven’t played well in majors. Before anyone’s ready to call you a standout, you have to win a major. Two years ago his play in the Ryder Cup made a star of Freddie (Couples). He went on to win a major and get player-of-the-year honors.”

There is a marked similarity in the careers of Couples and Love. Both were first recognized for their long driving ability. Both are now recognized for their complete games, but it took a while. One difference is that Couples is five years older. Another: The slender Love is 6 feet 3, four inches taller than Couples.

“Professional golfers often don’t mature until they are in their 30s,” Love said. “I should have my best years in front of me.”

After winning at La Costa, Love had a disappointing year by his standards. He was in the same boat with the three previous winners. Paul Azinger (1990), Tom Kite (1991) and Steve Elkington (1992) didn’t win another tournament in those years, either.

Love missed the cut in the Players Championship, the British Open and the PGA. After taking a rest late in the season, he decided to use the Las Vegas Invitational as a tuneup for the Ryder Cup. What a tuneup! He won the 90-hole event by eight shots, once leading by 11. Obviously, he had his game together.

Until Love sank the six-footer to beat Rocca, some had questioned whether he could handle pressure. There is no longer any doubt.

Davis, who teamed with Kite in three matches before the final day, was generous in giving credit to his partner, adding:

“Playing three rounds with a great player like Kite enabled me to see how a veteran handles himself in these situations. Tom also helped me with my putting, getting me to concentrate more. He helped me turn a poor season into a great finish.”

With only tournament winners playing at La Costa, Love will be facing a tough field, which includes Kite, Couples and Greg Norman. Norman, who won the British Open and was third on the money list despite competing in only 15 tournaments, calls this past year his best.

La Costa will be his only winter tournament on the West Coast.

Although he finished 12th on the money list in the United States, Love is ranked No. 9 in the world, one spot behind Kite, the lifetime money leader on the PGA Tour. In 22 years, Kite has earned $8,500,729. In eight years, Love has made $4,037,672.

“In retrospect, I probably should have won more than I have, but winning five tournaments in the last two years must mean I’m maturing,” Love said. “A victory at La Costa would give me a running start at my next goal--winning a major.”

Golf Notes

The addition of Jack Nicklaus, after an absence of nine years, makes this week’s senior field the strongest ever. Al Geiberger will be trying for his third consecutive victory in the senior event. Besides Nicklaus, he’ll face Raymond Floyd, Lee Trevino, leading money-winner Dave Stockton, George Archer, Mike Hill and Bob Charles. Stockton and Charles, golf’s top left-hander, each won more than $1 million last year. It will be interesting to see if any regular tour player will draw as big a gallery as Nicklaus will. . . . Among winners who won’t be at La Costa are ailing Paul Azinger, leading money-winner Nick Price, David Frost and senior Gary Player. . . . Six seniors, including PGA champion Tom Wargo, are first-time winners.