SEA ISLAND, Ga. (AP) — Davis Love III tore ligaments in his left ankle when he stepped in a hole playing golf and will miss at least two months after having surgery.
Love withdrew earlier this week from the Viking Classic in Jackson, Miss. He plans to have surgery in seven to 10 days, his doctor said Friday.
``An MRI proved that all the ligaments on the outside of the ankle are torn,'' Dr. Melvin Deese said. ``Obviously, those ligaments are very significant for a golfer because they stabilize the foot during the swing.''
Surgery means that Love won't play on the PGA Tour the rest of the year. He is at No. 81 on the money list, assured of his lowest finish in his 22 years as a pro. On Monday, he fell out of the top 50 in the world ranking for the first time in nearly 17 years.
Love hopes to return in time to play in the Father-Son Challenge on Dec. 1 with 13-year-old son Dru. He also received an invitation to play in the Target World Challenge on Dec. 13-16 in California.
