Love: Not just a four-letter word
Davis Love may be playing for a place in the Masters field this week but just to be playing at all is a bonus for the veteran Ryder Cup star.
The 43-year-old has spent the past five months recovering from ankle surgery after he damaged ligaments when stepping in a hole last September.
The initial prognosis was not good - Love was told he may have to take a year away from the game - so to be back out on tour is a triumph of sorts for the man still chasing his second Major victory, 11 years after his win in the US PGA.
"I've got to be thankful that I'm playing," he said before teeing it up in the Houston Open. "I could've had this whole year off, it was that bad of an injury.
"We jumped on it with good doctors and I got a good therapist and I did the right things. I'm very thankful that I'm back playing."
Love has understandably made a slow start to the year, missing three of six cuts and finishing no higher than when tied for 24th at Pebble Beach.
However, he has not even thought about winning on the tour, just concentrating on building his stamina and trying to get into the Masters line-up to continue his run of 70 consecutive Major appearances - the longest streak amongst active players.
"It's a little bit different this year, coming off an injury," he said. "I haven't really had a chance to win this year. I haven't had a lot of great rounds. It's a whole different feeling.
"The first tournament I played was my best tournament. I was just going on adrenalin and excited to be back. I really haven't played a good tournament since then. I need to just get the year rolling.
"When I first started back, they said, 'Don't even worry about the Masters. You're not going to have enough time to be ready even to play in it, much less win a tournament before it.' So I feel like I've got a leg up,"' Love added.
"Now I've played six times and I haven't made any progress. At least I've played, I've gotten some rounds in and I'm still playing, so I've still got a shot."
