Davis Love III looking for sixth win at MCI Heritage
BY Bruce Young | US PGA Tour | 2004 MCI Heritage | Preview | 14 Apr 2004
As has now become the tradition, the week following the Masters sees many of those who battled it out at Augusta National, heading 150 miles south east, to tackle the Pete Dye designed layout known as Harbour Town Golf Links at Hilton Head Island in South Carolina.
The course has played the host since the inception of both the golf course and the tournament back in 1969, when Arnold Palmer got the tournament off to such a great start with a three shot victory over Bert Yancey and Richard Crawford. At that time it was called “Heritage Classic”, but since then it has had several naming rights sponsors, being known as the Sea Pines Heritage Classic, the MCI Heritage Classic, The MCI Classic and more recently the WorldCom Classic Heritage of Golf Classic, before MCI secured the naming rights again in 2003, following the problems World.Com experienced two years ago.
The golf course is one of the finest played on the USPGA Tour. This year will be the 36th staging of the event and on 28 of those occasions, the event has been won by major championship winners, highlighting that it is very much a course requiring a complete golf game.
Small greens, tight fairways and plenty of variety, including a nice balance of doglegs either way, are features of the course. Pete Dye designed the layout in 1969 with consultation from then rookie designer, Jack Nicklaus and Dye’s wife, Alice. The course underwent a refurbishment in 2000 adding size to some of the greens, much of which had been reduced by encroachment. The greens were originally sown in Tifdwarf Bermuda when constructed but in 2000 that was replaced by a then new Bermuda strain known as Tif Eagle. It remains one of the few courses in modern day tournament golf that measures under 7000 yards.
There is one name that has become almost synonymous with The MCI Heritage Classic, Davis Love III. His win last year was his fifth since 1987, the victory being the first of five he would record in the event and given his form at last week’s Masters (6th) it would be hard to back against this becoming his sixth. Should he do so, he would move into joint second place behind Sam Snead for the most wins in a single event on the USPGA Tour. Snead won the Greater Greensboro Classic eight times from 1938 to 1965 with Jack Nicklaus (Masters), Sam Snead (Miami Open) Harry Vardon British Open and Alex Ross (North & South Open) recording six wins. Even when he hasn’t won in recent years Love has been close. In 2002 he was 5th, in 2001, 7th and in 2000, 3rd. The niggling back that has been of some concern of late, seemed to survive the Masters week and he will be here again no doubt challenging on Sunday.
Ernie Els, so close last week, will dispute favouritism with Love no doubt and he is another with a good record here. While not a winner on the Harbour Town layout, Els has been placed regularly in the top twenty. His best here was when third in 2000 although Els’ biggest hurdle to overcome this week may well be the let down factor from Augusta. Mind you he was third here in 2000 a week after his runner up placing to Tiger at Augusta.
Bernhard Langer, coming off such a fine week last week at the Masters, has played well here previously, in fact winning in 1985 the week after winning the first of his two Masters’ titles. His fourth placed finish last week suggests there is a lot of life in the old dog yet and as recently as 2002 he was fourth here.
Nick Price won in 1997 and his 6th placed finish last week indicates his game is reaching top form after just a few events this year.
Stewart Cink has played well the last two weeks at both the BellSouth and the Masters and as a previous winner, he must be considered.
The Australasians are represented by Steve Allan, Steve Elkington, Scott Hend, Mark Hensby, Stephen Leaney, Peter Lonard, Greg Norman, Geoff Ogilvy (3rd last year), Rod Pampling and Grant Waite.
