Love needs career round, help to get into Masters

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HUMBLE Texas -- He needs a closing 59. Maybe a 60.

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Davis Love III will need a great round and a lot of help if he's going to sneak into the Masters.

And a lot of help.

Impossible? Never. He's even got a caddie with one degree of separation to a 59 on his resume -- Jeff Weber. Weber is David Duval's caddie now and Duval threw out that 59 to win the 1999 Bob Hope Chrysler Classic.

Convoluted? Pretty much, but it was Davis Love III who pointed it out.

Love needs to win the Shell Houston Open Sunday afternoon to extend his streak of 70 straight majors to 71 -- the equivalent of 17 ¾ years without missing one.

But he has a ways to go. He's nine shots behind leader Johnson Wagner going into the final round and tied for 17th. In touch, granted, but in need of a great round.

"I'm throwing shots away every day,'' said Love, who has lost three on the 18th alone. "I'm glad to be playing, glad to have a chance.

"I did something every day to screw up my rounds.''

He admits his physical game is better than his mental one. Which is why he could be eight shots better this week and right there with a chance.

And if he doesn't catch lightning in a bottle? He's already got plans. To rest. To root for buddy Freddie Couples and, well, spend most of his time turkey hunting.

"Tomorrow night, I might not be able to win the Masters,'' he said, "but I still have a chance to win the U.S. Open.''