Augusta, GA … USA Ryder Cup captain Davis Love 111 believes he’s continuing to grow his Hazeltine bag of knowledge in talking to with former American captains in attendance at this week’s Masters.

Love has met with Dave Stockton, USA Captain in 1991 when Stockton’s men won the hotly contested ‘War on the Shore!”

And last night Love 111 had dinner with Raymond Floyd who captained the 1999 USA Team when they drew 14 points apiece at The Belfry and with Europe retaining the Cup after having won two years earlier at Muirfield Village.

“I like what’s great here at Augusta and that’s running into Dave Stockton and I was at dinner with Ray Floyd last night,” he said.

Davis Love 111 inspired in talking with former USA Ryder Cup captains (Photo – Eoin Clarke/www.golffile.ie)

“So I’m excited about it and inspired by those guys, they’re really trying to help.  It’s been a lot of fun.  But it keeps me busy.”

And playing the opening two rounds in the company of Spain’s and likely Ryder Cup rookie, Rafa Cabrera-Bello also seems to be inspiring Love 111.

“I think in some ways it’s inspired me,” he said.  “I like playing out here and playing with those guys.  I enjoyed getting to play Rafa.  There’s a guy I can scout out a little bit.  And then I’ve played with a lot of the guys that could play on our team or like I played with Stricker two rounds last week and we talked a lot about Ryder Cup.

“So being out here and playing on the regular Tour helps me.  And time management, I need to get better at.  And answering emails.  But we’re kind of on it.”

And Love 111 was asked when is he planning next to travel to Hazeltine ahead of the September 30th start to the Masters.

“Stricker, we were talking about it, how about we go when it gets warm,” he said

“We were thinking around Colonial, Memorial, when we start going out that way a little closer.  I really want to go and the guys want to go.  We just need everybody to get in there maybe one time, because they’re going to be tired and I’m going to want them, Ryder Cup week, not feel like they have to play a whole bunch to learn the golf course.  Maybe only one round or a day and a half and we’ll be ready.”