Three-Time Wyndham Winner Davis Love III Joins Wyndham Field; Professional Dru Love Accepts Sponsor’s Exemption

Three-time Wyndham Championship winner Davis Love III and his son, Dru, 23, will play next month’s Wyndham Championship. The 78th annual Wyndham Championship is set for Aug. 14-20, 2017 at Sedgefield Country Club. Dru Love accepted a sponsor’s exemption during today’s media day news conference which both Davis and Dru attended. When the younger Love tees it up in the first round next month, three generations of the Love family will have played the Piedmont Triad’s PGA TOUR event; Davis’ father, Davis Love, Jr. played here in 1959, ’63, ‘65 and ‘68. The three generations of Loves also played in the U.S. Open. “I’ve always traveled with him to tournaments and done everything that goes along with it,” Dru Love said. “Now to still be traveling with him to tournaments, but we go to the course together, compete together and both play competitively, it’s been kind of a new experience that’s been really fun and comfortable. Since we’ve been playing tournaments together, our family has been coming to some stuff. It’s just been really fun; it’s been a cool experience.” “I’ve had my eye on Dru’s progress as a junior golfer since he played our AJGA event (he tied for 57th in 2011) at Sedgefield and when he was playing at Alabama,” tournament director Mark Brazil said. “It’s neat to see him turn pro and actually have a pretty good U.S. Open. To be able to invite Dru and have Davis back after his injury last year and have a father-son playing will make it a special year at the Wyndham Championship; I’m thrilled to see those two at Sedgefield in August.” Davis and Dru Love will be the first father-son duo to play the Piedmont Triad’s PGA TOUR event since Jay and Bill Haas did so in 2002 when Bill was an amateur still playing golf at Wake Forest University. “Back then, it was a lot easier for us to give exemptions to amateurs,” Brazil said. “Since we became the last event for players to keep their cards for the next season (in 2013), our policy has been to give exemptions only to professional players trying to keep their jobs or get their cards, and the PGA TOUR completely supports our approach.” Davis Love III, who will be inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in September, last won the Wyndham Championship in 2015 after winning in 1992 and 2006; his three wins here in three different decades are second only to the legendary Sam Snead who won here eight times in four decades. The Wyndham Championship’s all-time money leader with $2,513,256 in tournament earnings has 21 PGA TOUR victories including the 1997 PGA Championship. He represented the United States in the Ryder Cup eight times – six as a player and two as the captain. Dru Love turned professional earlier this year after completing his college career at the University of Alabama. Davis Love IV uses the name, Dru, because it’s short for “quadruple.” He qualified for the U.S. Open last month, and his father caddied for him. He also played the Greenbrier Classic earlier this month and the Barbasol Championship this past weekend. The Love family is not the only one with three generations playing the same PGA TOUR event. Doug Ford, who won the 1954 Greater Greensboro Open, his son Doug Ford., Jr. and his grandson, Scott, all played the Greater Hartford Open, which is now the Travelers Championship.