Perry Could Swap Green Jacket for Plaid

Nobody should be surprised Kenny Perry is in contention again this year at the Crowne Plaza Colonial Championship.   Perry has won more money (2,643,181) at the Colonial than any other player in the tournament’s history. 

After shooting a bogey free six under 64 on Thursday, Perry wants to become the first player since Ben Hogan to win the Colonial three times.

“Something I would like to do, no doubt,” said Perry.  “I think there is 10 guys with two wins in this tournament. I would love to break out of there and get three.  It's only one day, we got three more days to go. A lot of work ahead of me.”

Perry made three birdies on his first nine (holes 10-18) playing with Vijay Singh who also started hot, making four birdies on the same side, including three in a row.

“He played great,” Perry said of Singh.  “It is always nice when one guy is going good. It keeps the group paying attention more focused. I always like it when somebody is playing hot.”

Perry has been “hot” almost all year, making the cut in 11 of 12 events.  He won the FBR Open in January and has already earned $2,705,259, which ranks fifth on the money list.

Earlier this year at Augusta National, Kenny Perry tried to usurp Jack Nicklaus as the oldest person to ever win the Masters.  But back to back bogeys on the 71st and 72nd holes of the tournament cost him the outright Major win.  He would go on to lose to Angel Cabrera in a three man playoff that included Chad Campbell.

“We cried a little bit there the first couple of days and talked about it and enjoyed it,” said Perry.  “But I'm not hanging my head on that deal, that was fun. I had a blast.”

Perry is a self described, “feel player” player, but pulled a “Bruce Lietzke” before playing the Colonial this week.  

Lietzke was a former tour player famous for not practicing, yet still having the ability to win.  Lietzke’s most infamous story came one year when his caddy but a banana in his driver head cover after the last round of the last tournament of the season.

The following year, when Lietzke stood at the teebox of the first tournament of the year, the same caddy pulled off the head cover and there was the same old banana.

“I did a first, I did a Bruce Lietzke,’ said Perry.  “Two weeks ago after TPC, my club was in my club glove, I stuck them in the closet at the house, and I didn't touch them until I put the club glove on the plane on Monday; two weeks later. I didn't touch a club for two weeks.”

This week, Perry put in a new driver in the bag that he insists is giving him ten extra yards.  What Perry said may seem like coach speak to some, but anyone who has spent time on a launch monitor knows exactly what Perry is talking about.

“TaylorMade came out with a new 460 driver,” said Perry.  “I put it in play the first time today and I picked up five miles an hour swing speed going from the R9, to the R9 460. I was averaging 166 ball speed.

"When I went to the 460 I was having 172 so that's about 10 to 12 yards further. I wanted to get it on out there and attack the golf course a little bit, so I was launching the driver on the trackman. It would launch at 13 degrees at 2,200 ball spin.  If you can get that with 172 mile an hour ball speed, it's going to go 310 to 315. 

Ahh yeah Kenny.  Those are the same numbers I get whenever I step onto a launch monitor…uh hmm…

“The driver goes and the ball goes so I'm able to hang with those kids, said Perry.

If Perry keeps hitting the ball like he did today, he’ll get fitted for more than just a driver.  Plaid jackets are awarded to the lucky winner.