RBC HERITAGE

April 11, 2023

Davis Love

Harbour Town Golf Links

Quick Quotes

Q. Talk about the significance of getting the new jacket.

DAVIS LOVE III: Well, Steve Wilmot has been a great friend for a long time. Three years ago, we lost our house in a fire. Steve gave me a new trophy with all five years of winning the Heritage on it, and one thing I was missing was a plaid jacket. It's nice -- I asked the first thing when he said would you be the honorary chairman, I said, Yeah, can I get a jacket.

Q. He didn't give you five of them?

DAVIS LOVE III: No, one is enough. You don't wear them that many times during the year, so one is enough.

As I said up there in the ceremony, this has been such a big part of my family's golfing life, and the Heritage means a lot to me, not just because of winning it but being able to play in it for so long, so close to home. My kids grew up coming here, now my granddaughters are growing up coming here, and just a big part of my life. It's great to be the honorary chairman.

I wanted a cart and a radio and to actually do some work like most chairmen do, but maybe I can do that later in the week.

Q. You've got to play. Is your game ready to win?

DAVIS LOVE III: It's not ready yet. Maybe something will happen between now and Thursday. But coming off a lot of injuries. I haven't really been able to get a lot of rounds in. You know, like Freddy Couples at the Masters, I get inspired when I get here, so hopefully things will come together for the weekend.

Q. You're always here on birthday week. You've gotten some great gifts here I remember.

DAVIS LOVE III: Yeah, I'd like some birdies for my birthday this year since it's on Thursday, the first round, and I'd like to get off to a good start on my birthday.

Q. You've won five of these and won them in every different way possible, last-second heroics, sitting in the clubhouse waiting. Everybody remembers the one shot, the chip-in with your brother on the bag, but is there another shot that you remember, that that shot to me is what won me the Heritage?

DAVIS LOVE III: No, I think my favorite moment obviously was chipping in on the last hole. I missed every green, I think, on that nine, and I got a lot of chipping practice in. But my first win with Lee Trevino's caddie Herman Mitchell on the bag, playing in the last group with Hale Irwin, sitting in the scoring tent with him watching Steve Jones finish. I'll always remember that just -- you always remember your first win, and that's the most important one.

Q. Because this tournament means so much to you, how exciting was it when it was named a designated event and what that says about the event?

DAVIS LOVE III: Well, the designated events, obviously one part of it is a big investment by the sponsors and by the state. But it means the best players in the world are going to be coming to Hilton Head. I'm going to be growing out of the tournament, but the tournament is growing into what it really has been for a long time. You see the winners here are major winners or Ryder Cup players or Presidents Cup players. It's just great that the fans will continue to see that.

I'm going to have to play really well to get in again. It's a little bit sad for me, but I'm excited for the growth of the tournament.

Q. Were you able to give Jordan any advice about that iconic tee shot?

DAVIS LOVE III: I told Jordan before we even got out here, I said make sure you're ahead of the blast if you want to hit it good. He hit it great. I think that was one of the best tee shots during the cannon that I've seen. He must have hit a hickory club somewhere in the past.