No spotlight sharing for Perry in this win
Kenny Perry doesn’t have to share this record-setting Colonial victory with anybody.
When Perry won at Hogan’s Alley two years ago, he was overshadowed by Annika Sorenstam being the first woman in 58 years to play on the PGA Tour.
This time, Perry had to settle for matching his tournament scoring record after a double bogey on the 17th hole Sunday in Fort Worth, Texas. He finished at 19-under 261, seven strokes ahead of Bill Mayfair.
“I wanted to finish 20 under. But that’s OK, I tied my own record. That’s pretty special. I just wanted to win again,” Perry said. “It was Annika’s week the first time. This week it was my week. So it’s 50-50 now.”
Yes, this Colonial was all Perry, who closed with a 1-under 69.
Perry began Sunday with a seven-stroke cushion, a lead that no PGA Tour player has ever squandered in a final round, and made sure there wouldn’t be any challengers.
Even after missing the fairway on the 563-yard opening hole, Perry made a 3-foot birdie. He got to 20 under with an 11-footer at No. 5, a 472-yard hole that ranks as the toughest on the course.
“When I birdied that hole, I knew I had it going,” he said.
Perry finished with the best 72-hole total on the PGA Tour this year, and the largest margin of victory. Phil Mickelson twice won by five strokes this season.
Mayfair (66) did the best anybody else could, matching his best finish since being also being a runner-up at the Harbour Town in 2001, after a five-hole playoff with Jose Coceres.
David Toms (66), Joe Durant (66) and Lonard (69) were in the group a stroke behind Mayfair, at 11-under 269. Bernhard Langer (67) was among seven golfers tied for sixth at 10 under.
Since his victory in 2003, Perry has gotten a thrill out of seeing his name engraved on the wall by the first tee with other Colonial champions, including Ben Hogan, Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and Sam Snead. Only five-time champion Hogan has won more than twice.
Perry will become just the 10th golfer with his name on that wall twice.
Champions Tour
D.A. Weibring shot a 3-under 69 for a two-stroke victory over Tom Jenkins and Tom Kite at the Bruno’s Memorial Classic at Hoover, Ala., surviving a scare on the 18th hole when his ball appeared to move before his final putt.
Weibring’s celebration was put on hold until Champions Tour officials ruled that his putter didn’t touch the ground before the ball moved. That violation would have cost him a two-stroke penalty and forced a three-way playoff.
Weibring finished at 15-under 201 for his third Champions Tour victory and first of the year. Jenkins shot a final-round 66, tying Kite at 203.
European PGA Tour
Stephen Dodd won a playoff on the first hole to win the Irish Open at Maynooth, Ireland, handing David Howell his second straight defeat in extra holes.
Dodd, who shot a 68 to force sudden death at 9-under 279, birdied the first playoff hole for his second European PGA Tour win. He reached the par-5 18th in two and then two-putted from 30 feet for the birdie.
Howell hit his second shot into the rough and failed to get up and down to match Dodd, who also won the China Open in November.
Angel Cabrera and Nick Dougherty shared third place, two shots behind at 281.