Love Feeling Much Better After a 68

AUGUSTA, Ga. —  In the last five years, Davis Love III has finished second in the Masters two times and seventh twice. One of these days, he believes, he’s going to win it. As far as his health is concerned, sooner would be better than later.

“I haven’t slept very good this week,” he said. “I’ve gotten literally physically ill a couple times on the golf course because I know I’m playing great and I’m not getting the job done.

“It’s still very, very hard to control your emotions playing out there. I want to win the tournament, just like any other major, but I want to win this one very badly.”

Love, who won the 1997 PGA Championship, did exactly what Tiger Woods did Saturday, he made a move. Like Woods, Love started the day nine shots out of the lead, but in his mind certainly not out of contention. He shot a four-under-par 68 that could have been even better had he managed to make short birdie putts on 17 and 18.

He is tied with Woods and Mike Weir for sixth at one under, six shots behind leader Vijay Singh, who is one of eight players who failed to finish the third round Saturday and will finish before the final round this morning.

“I promised myself I was going to enjoy it more this year, and I have, but I still haven’t played the way I want to play,” Love said. “I keep leaving three or four shots out there a day, and it just makes you sick to do it.”

Love has improved each round, going 75-72-68. It’s the first time in his 11 Masters appearances he has done that.

“I wanted to get back in the hunt,” he said. “I didn’t really have a number in mind, but I thought I could really get something going and get under par. I got there and then let it get away from me a little bit at the end. But, yeah, under par was what we wanted.”

Love had five birdies and one bogey Saturday, when he missed a five-footer on 16. As the leaders struggled with the wind late Saturday, and with the forecast calling for cold and windy weather this morning, he’s in position to make a run today. That would be fine for Love and relax things a bit around the Love household.

“Even my 6-year-old boy last night, watching the highlights, he says, ‘What place are you in?’ ” Love said. “I said 40th or 50th. He said, ‘You were in second last time I watched you. Why don’t you stay after this year and practice so you can do better.’ I mean, he can feel how much I want it.”

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Jack Nicklaus has played 155 rounds in 41 Masters, but he never shot a round in the 80s until his 81 in the third round Saturday.

Nicklaus, 60, shot eight-over 44 on the back and said the weather got him.

“This is by far the toughest [conditions] I’ve ever seen here,” Nicklaus said. “You couldn’t stand up. I’ve played overseas in days like this, but those courses are designed for weather like this. This course isn’t.

“It is very difficult to keep the ball on the hood of a Volkswagen--that is what you had out there.”

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Tommy Aaron, at 63 the oldest player ever to make the cut, shot a third-round 86.

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A funny thing happened to Woods when he was on the 12th green--an errant golf ball landed not far from where he was standing.

Someone playing the ninth hole at Augusta Country Club next door hit a big slice over the trees and onto the 12th at Augusta National. Woods thought it was funny.

“You know that scene from ‘Caddyshack 2’ where the ball just went up over the fence? It was just ‘splat,’ all over the green,” Woods said.

“We never saw a cart, we never saw anybody. I guess he was embarrassed and didn’t want to come get his ball.”

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Jesper Parnevik, in only the fourth group of the day, got off to a fast start with birdies at Nos. 6, 7 and 8, made the turn in four-under 32 and appeared poised to make an early run.

Then he came to the par-four 11th. He hit his approach to about 25 feet, then four-putted for a double bogey. He finished at 70 and was at two over after three rounds.

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The winner will earn $828,000 this year, which is more than the entire purse of the 1986 Masters ($805,100).