The Official 'Double P' Blog

Below is an interview Double P did for The Armchair Golf Blog a week or so ago. We're reprinting it here now that our guy "Phil Divot" made the story live on his site.

Also, regarding those of you who emailed us about PP's elbow, all is fine. Just a little soreness after eight weeks on and three off. He was taking off the Zurich anyways, so he'll lay low this week and then play the Byron Nelson and Wachovia back-to-back.

Check out the interview below and email us your questions for a future Q&A!!

After taking a few weeks off, PGA Tour player Pat Perez returns to action this week at the Verizon Heritage in Hilton Head, S.C. Double P has made six cuts in nine events, with a couple of top 10 finishes. Pat answered my questions for The Armchair Golf Blog during his recent break in Scottsdale, Ariz.

Armchair Golf: Coming off a disappointing year with injuries, how did you prepare for this season?

I tried to get the elbow solid, for sure. Working it, strength conditioning, stretching, all that. I spent the better part of last year with it only at 50 percent. When you sit around on the sidelines as long as I did, you have a ton of time to think.

I spent a lot of my off-season thinking about how I'd attack upcoming courses. I thought a lot about the strategy of certain courses. What kind of shots I wanted to play.

Since the Sony was first, I thought a lot about the winds in Hawaii. This was my sixth time playing out there, so I know the course and the conditions. I've seen that wind blow from all angles. I really thought a lot about what shots I'd hit and how I'd play the course after so much time off. Thankfully it paid off (finished 10th) and set the tone early on.

Armchair Golf: Last year you said you kept Advil in business. Are your elbows pain-free and 100 percent?

I was feeling solid at the beginning of the season, but I'm sore now after eight straight weeks out there. It's a tolerable pain, though. Not like last year. The pain is in a different area. It's not as sharp.

I've rested a few weeks, will play at the Verizon and just warm up the engine each week. Once it gets going, I don't feel anything out there. By then I'm focused on the course and my game.

Armchair Golf: You have two top 10 finishes at the Sony Open and Nissan Open and currently sit at No. 50 on the money list. Talk about your goal to finish in the top 30 this year and how you think you're doing.

I need to keep doing what I'm doing. Top 30 is huge because it gets you into all the big events -- big money and more FedEx Cup points.

Your number one goal always goes back to winning. That first win gets me top 50 in the world. Secure the majors, get in all the smaller field stuff like the World Golf events.

Armchair Golf: How many events do you plan to play this year?

At least 30. Might slow it down at some point, but who knows. Once you get that win, then you reassess your goals. You want to get into the top 30, then the top 10, top 5. For me, I think it'll be harder to slow down once the first win comes. It'll be a whole new ballgame then.

Armchair Golf: The last couple of years you've had good success at the Honda Classic and TPC. What do you like about playing the Florida swing?

I like the Bermuda grass. Those are great greens. Some of the best out there. That shaved Bermuda, it's a perfect surface. It's bent grass out here in Scottsdale. I'm used to that kind of stuff after living in the desert since 2002. The Florida courses, the desert courses -- I seem to putt well there.

Look at the other guys who live or train in Arizona -- Calc, Timmy Clark, Aaron Baddeley, they all putt well here and in Florida.

(Editor's note: Perez was the Q-School medalist [2001] in Florida and shot a course record 60 in the opening round of last year's Bob Hope.)

Armchair Golf: How's your ball striking? What are you working on?

Good. My coach (Michael Owen) and I are working on getting me to hit more on the inside of the ball.


Armchair Golf: How's your short game? What are you working on?

Pretty good. We're working on speed and line of my putting.



Armchair Golf: You and John Daly have the same coach. How did that come about?

JD's been a bud since my rookie year and I've been working with my coach since high school. They got to know each other over the years and in the off-season he decided to bring O aboard this season to work on some things.

Armchair Golf: What's it like hanging with JD?

A lot of work (laughs).



Armchair Golf: With multiple top tens, you've played well in the majors. Do you think your game is particularly well suited for the majors? Do you do any special prep for them?

You just have to be ready for hard conditions and you have to be much more patient in majors. A lot of times par is a good score. I get more frustrated in events like the Hope because something like 35 under wins and I'm somewhere around 2 under. I don't get why everyone else is getting it done and I'm not.

I like it when 10 under wins instead of 30 under.

Armchair Golf: There are a bunch of new young guns on Tour. Who have you played with lately that looks like a rising star?

Camilo (Villegas). I haven't really played with many others. He has a good knowledge about the game and how to play, even though he went to Florida.


Armchair Golf: How do you like living in Scottsdale?

I love it. The weather is great. Lots of young people around here. A great social setting. Great (motorcycle) riding town.


Armchair Golf: Talk about your motorcycle. Been riding lately?

Yeah. That's pretty much what I do if I'm at home a few weeks. Especially when the weather is perfect. Once a week we get a small group out here and we roll out to Cave Creek, the Hideaway, Harold's, the Road House, Dirty Dog. Take off around 3 p.m., and bar hop. Thing is you don't even really drink, you just hang out front, chew the fat and check out everyone else's bikes.

It's fun to be on something going 60 mph and feeling free as a bird. A good way to unwind, decompress and think about nothing. Just take it all in.

Armchair Golf: What's the hot item at the Double P online store?

Right now we're just selling shirts. We have them in black or white. Up front is my ball/flames/clubs logo and on the back, PatPerezGolf.com. They've been selling pretty well this past year. Part golf and part bikes with the fire and whatnot. There's enough golf stuff out there. I wanted to do something different.

We're going to roll out some other stuff in the coming year. I just really want to focus on playing right now. Once I get that first win, we'll worry more about stuff like this.


Double P's Faves

Favorite Tour stops: San Diego. It's always great to go back home. I also love Dallas. Vegas is fun, but that's a tough place to stay focused.

Favorite course: Bay Hill is up there. Hilton Head is fun and I also love the Players at Sawgrass.

Favorite bands: The Cult. Iron Maiden. Godsmack. Metallica. Cinderella. Madonna.

Favorite food: Carne Asada burrito. Throw in three rolled with cheese and a gross of hot sauce and we're in business.