Davis Love III eased some of his Ryder Cup pain with a commanding two-shot victory at the Greensboro Classic in North Carolina on Sunday.

Overlooked as a captain's pick for last month's matches against Europe at The K Club, Love won his first PGA Tour title since 2003 with a six-under-par 66 at Forest Oaks Country Club.

"I certainly learned a big lesson this year because I wanted the Ryder Cup so bad that I let it get in the way of everything else I was doing," the 42-year-old told reporters.

"So it's nice to be back challenging for the lead and pulling it off rather than, you know, finishing 15th all the time."

Love, an ever-present at the Ryder Cup since making his debut in 1993, lost out to Scott Verplank and Stewart Cink when US captain Tom Lehman announced his two wildcard picks for The K Club.

"I knew I was close (to playing well)," Love added. "I knew, when I got on my way, I would play well but certainly grinding for the Ryder Cup was a detriment.

"Also I did it the wrong way. I made making that team such a big deal that it took over my golf life. But you know, I've been out here 20 years and I'm not too old to learn new tricks."

Love, whose previous Tour victory came at the 2003 International, felt his blinkered approach in the final round at Forest Oaks paved the way for success.

"If I would have been staring at that leaderboard and found out that I was three shots behind, I probably wouldn't have won," he said after posting a 72-hole total of 16-under 272.

"I was committed to just playing my own game and keeping my head down. Through the middle of that round, I didn't know what was going on.

"I knew I was behind and then I knew I was ahead because you could tell by the crowd," added Love, who effectively sealed victory with a three-birdie burst from the 13th. "I looked at the board at 13 and I looked at the board the next time at 16 and knew that I was two ahead with two to go."

After finally clinching his 19th career title on the PGA Tour, Love allowed himself to raise his long-term sights.

"I was rolling right along looking like I was going for 30 Tour wins and then hit a dry patch," he said. "But, if I can continue working hard and continue the passion I have for it, hopefully I can still get there."