Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. ? “Chase your own potential.”

Davis Love III underlined those four words, even put stars around them, as a reminder that the best way to catch Tiger Woods is to wear blinders.

The strategy came from an offseason session with sports psychologist Bob Rotella. Love jotted down the notes on a legal pad, and he reviewed them the night before the final round of The Players Championship.

He proved to be a quick study.

Love turned in the greatest closing round in the 30-year history of the tournament. In cold, blustery conditions, he shot a bogey-free 64 to make up two strokes on the leaders and eventually win by six.

“We always talk about playing against Tiger down the stretch,” Love said. “I was chasing my own potential, and I think that’s the difference.”

It sounds good on paper, anyway.

The real test comes next week in the Masters — or any other tournament where Love’s pursuit puts him on a collision course with Woods on the back nine Sunday.

That never happened on the TPC at Sawgrass.

Love’s stiffest competition came from Jay Haas, who had not won in 10 years, and Padraig Harrington of Ireland, who has never won on the PGA Tour.

It wasn’t Love’s fault that Woods finished one hour in front of him and 11 strokes behind, Woods’ largest deficit since the 2001 PGA Championship.

Love didn’t need blinders, he needed binoculars.

Would it have been different if Love played the final round with Woods, instead of good friend Fred Couples?

Probably not.

Couples has been around for 20 years and shot a 64 on the final day in 1996 to storm from behind and win The Players Championship. He called Love’s round the best he has ever seen anyone play.

“Not just Davis — anybody,” Couples said.

Love said he was building to a moment like this and that he felt comfortable enough to compete with anyone.

Phil Mickelson called out Woods in a magazine interview by saying he used inferior equipment, words that were intended as a compliment but perceived as a challenge. Woods whipped him the first time they played together, in the final round at Torrey Pines.

Ernie Els challenged Woods with his results.

The Big Easy became the first player in 14 years to win the first two PGA Tour events of the season, then won twice more against good fields in Australia.

He and Woods met for the first time this year on Saturday at Bay Hill under unfavorable conditions — Els had a sore right wrist; Woods had a four-stroke lead.

Woods wound up 10 strokes clear of Els after the third round, and finished 19 shots ahead of him at the end of the tournament.