CROMWELL, Conn., June 21 (UPI) -- Davis Love fired an 6-under-par 64 Friday and moved into a tie for the lead with Jonathan Kaye and Briny Baird midway through the Greater Hartford Open.
"Now that I am healthy and feeling good, my confidence is starting to come back and I'm starting to see some good things," Love said.
Once among the best players on the PGA Tour, Love went winless for two years before breaking through at Pebble Beach early last year. However, the back problems that have plagued him returned and hampered what appeared to be a promising season.
Love began 2002 healthy and hopeful that his form would return. But he missed the cut in five of his first 12 events before finally posting a top-10 finish at the Worldcom Classic in April.
"I started off the year expecting big things because I was hurt last year and healthy this year," he said. "Maybe I came out a little anxious to try and make up for last year. And even though I did win, I didn't win as much as I wanted to, so it took me a while to settle down and get into the rhythm of playing."
That has happened over the last month with a tie for fifth at the MasterCard Colonial and a tie for 24th at last week's U.S. Open, where Love ruined a solid performance with a final-round 77.
Love had no bogeys in his round, which matched the best of the day. He was at 8-under 132 and tied with Kaye and Baird, both of whom shot 67s. Scott Hoch and Kaname Yokoo of Japan were at 133 and first-round co-leader Hidemichi Tanaka of Japan was among five players at 134.
