On this day: August 17, 1997 – It’s all (Davis) Love at the PGA Championship

Sport360 staff 06:45 17/08/2015
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  • Davis love III with his PGA Championship trophy.

    After coming up just short in his successful, but then major-less career, Davis Love III finally broke through in a big way on this day in 1997 at the PGA Championship.

    The American won his first and only major, finishing with a total of 269 to beat out runner-up Justin Leonard – who had won his first major in that year’s US Open – by five strokes.

    The signature moment of the tournament came on the final day when Love III approached the 18th green and the rain stopped to give way to a rainbow.

    It was sentimental and surreal for Love III, who had lost his father – a PGA professional – to a plane crash in 1988. He became the second son of a PGA pro to win the PGA Championship.

    1933: New York Yankees legend Lou Gehrig plays in his record-breaking 1,308 consecutive game.

    1938: Henry Armstrong wins his third boxing championship, adding the lightweight title to his featherweight and welterweight triumphs.

    1973: Willie Mays of the San Francisco Giants hits the final home run of his career, No660, to finish third all-time.

    2002: India’s Mithali Raj makes the then highest score in a women’s Test with a double century (214) in a draw against England.

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