Davis Love III has been selected to receive the ASAP Sports/Jim Murray Award for cooperation and accommodation with the media by the Golf Writers Association of America.
The GWAA also will honors J.B. Holmes with the Ben Hogan Award and Dottie Pepper with the William D. Richardson Award at its annual dinner on Masters week in Augusta, Ga., in April.
Love, who is captain of the United States team in the Ryder Cup for the second time, said his late father, noted golf instructor Davis Love Jr., advised him to have good relations with members of the media.
“He … told me that if you make friends with reporters, you’ll feel comfortable when you have to talk to them,” said the 51-yearpold Love, who is in his 30th season on the PGA Tour and won the Wyndham Championship last year for the 20th victory on the circuit, including the 1997 PGA Championship.
The award is named for the late Jim Murray, former Los Angeles Times Columnist who is considered by many to be the greatest sportswriter of all-time.
Holmes will receive the Hogan Award for persevering through injuries to continue his career on the PGA Tour.
Two of the 33-year-old Holmes’ four PGA Tour victories have come since he twice had surgery in 2011 to correct a Chiari malformation in his brain, including the Shell Houston Open last season.
“I am deeply honored,” said Holmes, who played on the U.S. Presidents Cup team last year and in the 2008 Ryder Cup. “It is a great feeling to be recognized for overcoming adversity by the men and women who cover our great game.
“I am also proud to be affiliated with the great Ben Hogan whose legacy is one that I admired.”
Pepper, who won 17 times on the LPGA Tour including the Nabisco Dinah Shore in 1992 and 1999, will be presented the Richardson Award for making outstanding contributions to golf.
Since her playing days ended she has been an on-course golf commentator.
Pepper also recently finished a two-year term on the PGA of America’s Board of Directors, with a focus on developing junior golf in America.
She also collaborates with co-author Scott Fuller on children’s books designed to prevent bullying through the golf ball character named “Bogey.”
“It’s a lot of fun, but a lot of stress,” said Pepper, who has worked for ESPN, the Golf Channel and NBC, and in April will be the first woman to be part of the CBS Sports team at the Masters.
Also to be honored at the 44th ISPS HANDA GWAA awards dinner will be players of the year Jordan Spieth (PGA Tour), Lydia Ko of New Zealand (LPGA Tour) and Jeff Maggert (Champions Tour).
