Former US Ryder Cup Captain and 21-time PGA Tour winner, Davis Love III and his wife, Robin were fortunate to escape serious injury after fire totally destroyed their Sea Island residence in Georgia.
Love III, who led the USA to a stunning victory over the Darren Clarke led Europeans at the 2016 Ryder Cup at Hazeltine, went onto his Twitter account to say he and his wife were safe. He and his wife were also the only one’s in the house.
Local Glynn County fire chief R.K. Jordan said there were no injuries to the 16 firefighters from multiple units who responded to the blaze.
Jordan said the first call to the dispatch centre came at 5:18 a.m., and the first truck arrived on the scene at 5:23 a.m. to find the home fully engulfed. Eventually, three engines, a tanker truck and three rescue vehicles responded.
“It was gone upon our arrival,” Jordan said of the second-alarm fire in an Augusta Chronicle article.
“While everyone in our family is saddened at the loss of our home that was filled with so much laughter and incredible memories, we’re very blessed that everyone is safe and unharmed,” Love said in a statement through Melanie Trotter, media relations director of the RSM Classic, the PGA Tour event that Love hosts each fall at the Sea Island Club.
“We’re very thankful to the first responders who made a valiant effort to save our home, and we’re keeping things in perspective as people across our community and around the world are struggling with the current unprecedented health crisis.”
Jordan said the operation was nearly completed by 7:30 a.m., with only a few hot spots to put out. He said the fire marshal has begun his investigation.
“It’s very easy to tell where a fire originated but sometimes difficult to tell what started it,” he said.
Jordan said the firefighting community was saddened by the incident.
“Davis Love has been wonderful to our fire department in the past,” he said. “He’s supported us very well, brought us food when we were dealing with hurricanes, things like that. So this hits us very hard.”
Love III captured his only Major in winning the 1997 PGA Championship while he also won The Players in 1992 and 2003. He is a five-time winner of the now RBC Heritage having claimed a first Tour win at Hilton Head in 1987 and his fifth in 2003. His last Tour win was at the 2015 Wyndham Championship.
He was inducted into the hall of fame in 2017.
Love also spoke in his Twitter statement of his appreciation at the immediate outpouring of concern from the Golden Isles and golf community.
“We’ve been proud members of the St. Simons Island/Sea Island community for many years and will continue to be for many more,” he said. “We appreciate all your thoughts and prayers and your respect for our privacy.”
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