For 20 years, Pebble has brought out the best in Love

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Davis Love III has won the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am twice in his storied career.

Davis Love III played in his first AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am as a rookie in 1986. He has not missed one since.

He comes to the Monterey Peninsula each year because he loves to play Pebble Beach, which is among the most scenic golf courses on the PGA TOUR -- if not the No. 1. Love's had success there, too, winning the tournament in 2001 and 2003.

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Love is hoping Pebble Beach can help him gain ground in the Official World Golf Rankings.

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He also comes because he gets to stay with Jim Griggs, a former chairman of the TOUR's Golf Course Properties board who has mentored players like Joey Sindelar and Mike Hulbert and is a surrogate father to Love. There's his long-time amateur partner John Lenin, too.

A year ago, Love targeted the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am for his return after surgery the previous fall to repair torn ligaments on his left ankle. This week, he returns as a lifetime member of the PGA TOUR after winning his 20th event in the 2008 finale.

Love will have a new playing partner in the tournament that Bing Crosby started in 1937, though. PGA TOUR Commissioner Tim Finchem is going to make a rare competitive appearance with the veteran pro. Randall Stephenson, CEO of AT&T, who extended the invitation, and Hunter Mahan complete the foursome.

Asked last week if he was nervous to be playing with Finchem, Love merely smiled.

"No, but he is," Love said. "He's been pounding so many balls his wrist is hurting. But Tim's that way with whatever -- if he's going fly fishing or skiing. He doesn't get a whole lot of chance to do fun stuff so he puts a lot into it.

"But I'm excited about playing with him. ... It's going to be fun for me and Tim but it's kind of sad that John's not going to be there to play with me because he's gotten me through about 10 tournaments there. I always like going there to play."

With his history at Pebble Beach and the way he's been playing this year, Love figures to be among the contenders, too.

In his last 16 rounds at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, Love has broken par 11 times. He shot 30 under in his two victories there, including a final-round 63 on Sunday in 2001 that included a 28 on the front side.

And just last month, Love closed with a 68 to tie for second as he returned to the winners-only Mercedes-Benz Championship for the first time since 2007. Although he missed the cut at the Sony Open in Hawaii in his next start, Love fired a 66 to open the Buick Invitational and went on to tie for 35th.

Two months shy of his 45th birthday, Love is clearly still enjoying the challenge. In this era of J.B. Holmes and Bubba Watson, he still can bust it -- ranking 12th in driving distance last year. And when the putter cooperates, he'll contend.

"I want to stay on this TOUR competitive longer than anybody of my generation," Love said earlier this year.

The former UNC All-American he has very definite goals this year, too.

The first -- qualifying for the World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship -- appears to have been accomplished now that Love has risen to 57th in the world. Only the top 64 players as of Monday are invited to the event.

Love has two ways to get into the Masters, which he missed last year for the first time since 1991. He needs to win one of the next eight events leading up to the season's first major or work his way into the top 50 in the world.

Love has been climbing steadily, too -- he moved from 166th to 76th with last year's victory at the Children's Miracle Network Classic presented by Walmart and now has jumped nearly 20 more spots. He's aware of the fluctuation, but he's trying not to dwell on it.

"When I get on the golf course, all I can do ... is just take care of my golf ball and play the game and play one shot at a time and everything else will take care of itself," Love said. "It's hard not to watch it, but I know that if I continue to do the things I'm doing, the ranking will keep continuing to improve."

The Presidents Cup is another carrot dangling in the distance. One of Love's best friends, Fred Couples, is the U.S. captain for the biennial event that will be held in October at Harding Park Golf Club in San Francisco.

"Every time I see Freddie, I think about how much fun that would be," said Love, who has moved up to 20th in the standings. "I've played six Presidents Cups, that's exciting. But being on Freddie's team would be a big, big deal.

"Maybe if I make it, he can pick himself and we can play together all four matches."

Love also is keeping a keen eye on the FedExCup race. Love, who currently ranks 13th in the standings, missed the PGA TOUR Playoffs for the FedExCup completely last year and only played in two the previous year.

"I didn't make it to THE TOUR Championship the last couple of years, and I want to play for the FedExCup," Love said. "(It's) been kind of boring watching other guys play for it.

"I'm excited about doing all of the things that I used to do. And that means I've got to keep after it and keep working hard and working smart. I've got a lot of experience. I've got enough ball-striking ability. I've just got to do the little things that keeps you in the game."