Davis Love 111 is returning to competition at this week’s RBC Heritage and for a first occasion since fire ripped through his family home destroying almost everything Love and his wife, Robin owned.

Love revealed sadly the emotions in returning to tournament competition and having to search for head covers while his son gave him a pitch mark repairer.

It is Love’s 31st appearance on the Hilton Head course, and a venue where the now 56-year old captured between 1987 and 2003 five of his 21 PGA Tour victories.

In contrast, Rory McIlroy is making only his second showing in the $US 7.1m event since 2009 where he shared 58th place and a week following his Masters debut at Augusta National.

While Love spoke of the enormous support shown to he and his wife following the lost of their house, the victorious 2016 USA Ryder Cup captain, and also a vice-captain for the 2020 showdown, was asked his thoughts on McIlroy’s efforts last Sunday in letting slip another opportunity for victory.

“I don’t remember the year because, you know me, I’m not a good golf historian but whenever Greg Norman didn’t win the Masters dramatically, he came here to play the next week,” said Love.

“He always played here. I remember walking down the 9th fairway and meeting him and walking back with him and telling him, if you’re not at the top of the leaderboard all the time, you can’t have a wreck.

“He had so many times that he got beat or hit a bad shot on the last hole or something happened — Larry Mize chipped in — but if you’re not at the top all the time, we can’t pick at you.

“I think that’s — with Tiger, his win percentage is incredible, but if you’re not up there all the time, you can’t finish second. I think that’s the way I look at Rory is he’s always in the game. He had one little stretch where he was not playing well, but he’s always in the top ten.

“He always looks like he’s one round away from winning, and I think that’s the way he looks at it. He certainly — his game is more well-rounded than it was five years ago, and he’s world No. 1 because he finishes first and second and third and fourth and fifth a lot.”

Norman captured just two Open Championships in his majors career but then he 16 other top-five finishes whereas McIlroy’s won four majors has also posted eight top-five results.

Love admitted he believed McIlroy was a victim of his own success.

“Exactly. If Tiger Woods doesn’t win, we’re mad because he would win one out of every three times,” said Love.

“But you look at Rory McIlroy, he’s an unbelievable player. You’ve got to look at the positive or the — hey, the guy’s always got a chance to win. He’s so good.

“There’s a hundred guys in this field that would like to have his fourth place finishes. That’s the way you’ve got to look at it. If you’re not running at the top. If you’re not, you know, Kyle Busch out front, you can’t get wrecked on the last lap.

“So he’s always running up front, and every once in a while, you have a wreck.”