GOLF ROUNDUP : Playoff Victory Guarantees Love a Masters Spot

Davis Love III, who squandered his lead with bogeys on the 17th and 18th holes, beat Mike Heinen on the second playoff hole Sunday to win the Freeport McMoRan Classic and an invitation to the Masters.

“Every time I made a move I was trying to win and trying to get into the Masters,” said Love, who hit into bunkers on the last two holes of regulation. “Not just here but all year. Now maybe I can relax.”

The bogeys on the final two holes tied Love with Heinen at 14-under par and sent them into a playoff. Love sank a three-foot putt--”a very, very long three-foot putt”--for birdie on the second hole for the victory and the $216,000 winners purse.

“I knew he was going to make his birdie,” Heinen said. “I was just trying to make one to send it to another hole.”

Instead, Heinen’s 20-foot putt missed and he settled for second place and $129,600.

It was Love’s ninth PGA victory, his first playoff win in four tries.

“I’ve put myself in a position to win, I’ve backed into playoffs and I’ve lost,” Love said. “Today I just kept telling myself, ‘You’re going to win the tournament. You’re going to go to the Masters.’ ”

Love started the day at 13-under, shot the first nine in 31 then slowly moved up on Heinen over the back nine, following a birdie on nine with birdies on 10, 11 and 13.

“I started playing my best when Mike made his eagle to get to 15 (under),” Love said. “It spurred me on.”

Heinen, who was four holes ahead of Love, saw his carefully crafted lead--six birdies and an eagle--washed out by a shot into the water on the 18th for a double bogey to finish at 14 under.

Heinen watched Love play the final holes but was not assured of a playoff until Love’s eight-foot putt skimmed the left edge of the 18th hole for a bogey.

It will be Love’s sixth trip to the Masters.