Love captures MCI Heritage

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. -- There must be something special about that Harbour Town lighthouse for Davis Love III.

Love chipped in on the final hole to force a playoff, then hit the flagstick with his approach on the fourth extra hole -- the famous 18th with a candy-cane striped lighthouse in the background -- to defeat Woody Austin and win his fifth MCI Heritage on Sunday.

"This place has always been good to me," Love said.

No one can deny that.

Love trailed Austin by a stroke on his last hole when he sent his approach to the right of the green. Feeling the confidence that comes with four prior victories at Harbour Town Golf Links, Love told his brother and caddie, Mark, he would chip it in for birdie.

Moments later, Love rolled in a wedge from 66 feet, 8 inches away to tie for the lead at 13-under 271.

"That's why I was so excited because I finally put my mind to it," Love said.

Then, after watching Austin miss makable putts for the victory on the second and third extra holes, Love struck a 6-iron that bounced off the pin and settled about 3 feet away.

Love lined up the putt, took one practice swing and dropped it in, to the blares of boat horns in Callibogue Sound.

"I hear a lot of jokes around the locker room saying, 'You're automatic here,' or whatever," said Love, who shot a 67. "But I feel like I'm comfortable here. Maybe when I get in trouble or when I hit a bad shot, I don't lose my patience quite as fast here."

Love won for the 17th time in his PGA Tour career.

Austin, who had a bogey-free 68, had his chances to win. He missed a 6-foot putt on the second playoff hole and a 3-footer on the third extra hole, both which would have given him the title. But he had no regrets about this week.

"It's been a long time since I felt I was hitting it this good," he said. "It's fun to be back in the game."

As Austin waited to hit his approach to the 18th hole in regulation, he was told he was the only one at 13-under and felt he might be moments from victory. Then he heard the crowd react to Love's chip-in.

"I look up, I heard a deafening roar," Austin said. "This is a great place for him, obviously and great things happen to him here."

Hal Sutton (68), Chris Riley (67), Geoff Ogilvy (67) and David Gossett (66) were a stroke behind Love and Austin. Two strokes back were Steve Flesch (69), Matt Gogel (68) and Tom Pernice Jr. (68).

Emerald Coast Classic

MILTON, Fla. -- Bob Gilder won the Emerald Coast Classic with a tournament record 17-under-par 193, finishing four strokes ahead of three other Champions Tour golfers.

Gilder, who earned $217,500, shot a 7-under 63 in the final round on the Scottish style 6,832 yard, par-70 course at The Moors Golf Club. His final score topped the 54-hole record of 196, set by Gil Morgan and Isao Aoki in 1997. Aoki then won a playoff.

Leonard Thompson, Larry Nelson and Vicente Fernandez tied for second at 197.

--From wire reports