This time, Love takes momentum into Playoffs

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Davis Love has only played in two Playoffs events in the last two seasons.

His legacy has long been established and he could easily vanish into the Sea Island mist and never play another PGA TOUR event, but Davis Love III isn't quite ready to go quietly into that good night. Those golf course design projects with his brother/caddie Mark can wait a little while longer.

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Although at age 45 he's past his prime, Love has managed to quietly piece together a very sound 2009 season. Going into the Wyndham Championship, the final regular-season event, Love has earned a spot in the PGA TOUR Playoffs for the FedexCup and is a longshot to play his way onto the Presidents Cup team.

"Playing pretty good, but not great and looking for great," Love said a few weeks ago.

Great has always been the standard sought by Love. However, the past two years have been very un-Love like and "great" was an infrequently-used adjective during that span. In 2007, he might have attempted to come back too soon from ankle surgery and never found his groove. In 2008 he was inconsistent and failed to make it to the postseason, finishing 154th in the FedExCup points race. But Love found his pace in the Fall Series and won final event of the year, the Children's Miracle Network Classic, with a final-round 64. It was his first victory since 2006 and the 20th of his illustrious career. That win also gave him a lifetime exemption on the PGA TOUR.

He's built on that victory in 2009, a year that has been solid, but not spectacular. He's finished among the top 10 on two occasions (Mercedes-Benz Championship and The Memorial Tournament) and is No. 35 on the FedExCup list. Love is No. 41 on the money list, with earnings of $1.45 million. He's finished in the top 25 in nine of his 20 events, but failed to qualify for the Masters or the U.S. Open. He missed the cut at the THE PLAYERS Championship and at last week's PGA Championship, but tied for 27th at the Open Championship at Turnberry.

The inability to close hasn't helped this season. Poor final rounds pushed him down the standings in the Shell Houston Open, the Verizon Heritage, the Quail Hollow Championship and the John Deere Classic. A few shots at any of those places could have made a bid difference in the way this season is perceived.

"I've been saying it for 20-something years," Love said. "I'm real close to playing good. You've just got to always be positive like that, that the next week is going to be a good week."

It would come as a surprise to no one to see Love's breakthrough occur this week at the Wyndham Championship in Greensboro, N.C. He won the tournament in 1992 and 2006 when it was played under different title sponsors. (Love was unable to defend his title in 2007 when kidney stones forced him to withdraw.) He tied for sixth in 2003. It's like a homecoming for Love, who was born in Charlotte and was a three-time All-American at the University of North Carolina. Unless Michael Jordan or Dean Smith show up this week, Love will no doubt have the largest galleries on the property.

He hopes for a better showing this time. Last year didn't produce the most memorable results. The tournament was moved back to Sedgefield Country Club, an old Donald Ross course that Love had never previously played. Despite an opening 66, he struggled to tie for 60th.

This week Love is one of 13 major championship winners in the field, including his best buddy and pal Fred Couples. It would be a good week for Love to play well, since Couples will make the call on the final two spots on the Presidents Cup team that he will captain. Love hasn't lobbied too hard, but would make things interesting if he were to win or be a consistent contender through the season-ender at East Lake.

He's currently No. 30 on the Presidents Cup points list, but a strong finish, coupled with his international experience, would make Love an interesting possibility. A big finish by Love could force Couples to make a very difficult decision.

Stan Awtrey is a freelance columnist for PGATOUR.COM. His views do not necessarily reflect the views of the PGA TOUR.