Love Father-Son Math: III + IV = 26 Under Par

This one was no contest.

It wasn’t supposed to be, not if the most experienced team with the most firepower in the field played to anywhere near its potential.

This 2018 version of the Father-Son Challenge wasn’t much of a challenge for the family Love — that would be Davis III and Davis IV, who goes by Dru.

They were the best team on paper over at the Ritz Carlton, Orlando.  You have dad, the Hall of Famer and still competitive at age 54.  Still has plenty of length, hits really good iron shots and still makes putts.

Son Dru played major college golf at Alabama and since has played in 14 PGA Tour events as he continues to seek his path to that tour.  Not having his tour card yet allowed him to play once more in this competition.

They had already won this, back in 2012.  Since then, Dru’s grown to 6-5 and about 240.  He towers over his dad, who is bigger than most who play this game.

Put these guys in a two-day scramble contest against guys playing with their teenage sons and team Love had the advantage in experience and shot-making.

Team Love gave the rest hope with a slow start — just four-under over their first nine holes at the Ritz-Carlton on a damp, rainy Saturday.  Team Daly had Peter Jacobsen and the rest of the talking heads oooing and ahhing and generally gushing over 15-year-old John Daly II, who is clearly carved out of the old JD mold.  A 59 by the Dalys and yes, they were all going nuts.  Heck,  Jack Nicklaus  will turn 79 next month, he can barely walk but can still putt his golf ball.  He and grandson J.T., son of Gary, shot 61, just two behind the 59 the Dalys fashioned.

Pay no attention to those Love characters back at 62.

The inevitable came to pass on Sunday.  The Loves got it in gear, started making birdies like they were going out of style and promptly shot nine-under on the front nine.  They looked like a Ferrari passing Volkswagens.

It was more of the same over the final nine for DL III and IV.  The knockout punch was a 20-foot eagle putt by Dru at the 14th then birdies at 15, 17 and 18 for good measure.

All they did was establish a one-day record score for this event — 15-under par — 56.  They nearly shot dad’s age.  They also set the 36-hole record — 26-under.  For the record, they were 22-under over their final 27.

Team J.D. ran out of birdie putts although Peter Jacobsen couldn’t stop going goo-goo for Little Daly, declaring:  “He looks and acts like a tour player!”  Seriously?  Come on Jake, the kid is 15-years-old, give us a call when he wins the individual high school state championship in Florida — baby steps — don’t hand him a tour card just yet.

Still, the JDs did quite well, they finished in a tie for second at 23-under, their best showing and they tied with two other teams — the Goosens and the Cinks.  For the record, team Goosen was composed of Retief and his 15-year-old son, Leo, so give Leo some credit too, okay with that Jake?

At the end of the day, it was great to see how much family meant in this one.

It’s that time of the year that reminds us how important family is to all of us.

And it reminded my of how much I miss my father.

Father-Son Final Scoreboard: