Love lost: Veteran Love III has hip replacement surgery

Nov 21, 2017 - 8:18 PM PGA Tour veteran Davis Love III was undergoing hip replacement surgery on Tuesday and is facing a recovery time of three to four months.

Love, who was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame earlier this year, expects to return to the Tour by March.

"I had a hip problem the last few years, and I had a hip resurfacing trying to avoid hip surgery because I'm a chicken," Love said after missing the cut in last week's RSM Classic. "But after playing (in some recent tournaments), I realized it was an uphill battle."

Love, 53, said his doctors told him he would likely be able to start chipping in three to four weeks. He is looking forward to returning to golf as a healthy player.

"Now I'm excited that I've crossed that bridge," Love said. "Once I get over that, I can go right back to the Tour. I won after a spine fusion (at the 2015 Wyndham), and now I'd like to win with a new hip.

"That's the reason I'm doing it, so I can get back to golf and keep up."

Love has won 21 events on Tour, including the 1997 PGA Championship.