The Official 'Double P' Blog

Pat Perez felt he needed a top five finish at this week's Zurich Classic if he was going to crack the top fifty in the World Rankings and qualify for The Masters in two weeks.

That being the case, he's off to a solid start and Augusta might not be too far away.

After opening with a 71 on Thursday, Perez fired a Friday round of 70 - closing with a clutch birdie on the day's final hole. -3 entering the weekend, PP is currently five shots off the lead.

Perez's five birdies over two days have him T72nd in that respective category, while 29 pars have him T1st. With 31.5 putts per round, Perez is tied for 80th that category. Perez is ranked first for the entire field regarding greens in regulation, averaging 86.1 over two days.

Saturday's tee time is set for 10:45am CT and Perez is paired up with Harrison Frazar.

PP checking in here. It's been a while since I've written, so I wanted to drop a line. Every since I picked up the iPhone, I haven't always dragged my laptop out on the road with me. I just need something to check email and follow the live leaderboard during the tourney and I can do all that on my phone. Headed to New Orleans today and only out for two weeks, so I brought the laptop and felt it was time to chime in.

Just spent a week back home in Scottsdale after two straight Florida events. Wound up T31 at Bay Hill after a double on the final hole. That cost me a few bucks and some ranking points, but I'm hitting it well right now and I can live with that. The putts just aren't falling. When they do, look out.

I've played in eight events this season and I've made six cuts. I'm currently #62 in the world, which prompted this trek to the Zurich. This is the last week to qualify for The Masters and I need to slide up twelve spots to qualify. I'm guessing it'll take a top five finish this week to make that a reality. It might take some aggressive play for that to happen, so tune in this week. Things could get interesting.

I definitely enjoyed my down time back home this week. It was necessary. Weather was perfect in Scottsdale and it gave me some time to tool around with my cars and hang with friends. I picked up a Ferrari 430 a few months back and definitely miss driving it when I'm on the road tooling around in a courtesy car. Definitely got in some drive time last week.

Played some golf, grilled up some steaks at the house and went out a few nights with some local buds. Joined a new club back home and spent some time up there working on my game. Last Friday we had a surprise 40th birthday party for my guy Jay Francis over at Right Toyota, one of my sponsors.

Played some golf during the day while the party planning was underway and was in charge of keeping Jay away from all things party-related. Things went off without a hitch and Friday turned out to be a blast. You should've seen my red plaid jacket. I'll get my guy to post a pic as soon as he can. That thing is ca$h money.

Time to get back to business. Big week ahead and I know what I need to do to get in The Masters. Haven't been to Augusta since 2003 and never thought it'd take this long to get back. Dying to get back in and ready to do what I need to do at the Zurich this week to make it happen.

Pat Perez was feeling it on Thursday, but the putts just weren't dropping. A few lip outs were the difference between a respectable round and a +3 round of 73.

On Friday, Perez left nothing to chance. Playing aggressive and going for the pin, PP started hot with birdies on three of his first six holes. His lone blemish of the day came in the form of a double bogey on the par-3 #17, but Perez responded with a birdie on#18 putting him at -2 at the turn.

Another birdie on the par-4 #1 before the shot of the day - an Ace on #2, a par-3.

Perez wrapped up Friday with a -5 round of 65. He's currently T19th entering Saturday and is seven shots off the lead. Tomorrow's tee times will be announced shortly. Check back later.

Pat Perez stumbled out the gate in today's opening round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational. Bogeys on #1, #2 and #3 had Perez in an early hole. Five straight pars had Perez +3 at the turn and another bogey on #11 had him in his deepest hole of the day.

Perez rattled off five more pars before his first birdie of the day on#17, a par-3 hole. His thirteenth par of the day came on #18, giving PP an opening round 73.

Friday's tee time is 1:08pm ET and Perez will start on #10. Tune in Friday for more.

Pat Perez is in Orlando this week, gearing up for the Arnold Palmer Invitational. Tee times have been set and PP is going off #1 at 8:38am ET Thursday and #10 at 1:08pm ET on Friday. He'll be paired up with Ian Poulter and Michael Letzig.

The Arnold Palmer Invitational is obviously a big one thanks to it's namesake. Any event associated with Mr. Palmer resonates with all professionals on Tour. Success at Bay Hill is something special.

PP started out hot his first few years in Orlando. As a rookie in 2002, Perez shot 70-69-69-74 for -6 and a T9th finish. A year later, a similar result, going74-69-69-71 for -5 and a T10th finish in 2003.

After a career low season in 2003 ($578,141 in earnings), Perez wasn't in the field for the event in 2004, but has earned a spot each year since:

2005 - 72-70-71-78 (+3) - T44th
2006 - 73-72-71-70 (-2) - T34th
2007 - 67-72-76-69 (+4) - T28th

Perez enters this year's Arnold Palmer Invitational coming off a missed cut (72-79) at last week's PODS Championship - preceded by an off week and a down to the wire finish against Phil Mickelson at the Accenture Match Play Championship.

The Florida Swing is usually the time Perez falls into his springtime groove. Over the past few years he's found success either at Bay Hill, Mirasol or Sawgrass. Perez sat out this year's Honda after playing five straight on the west coast. He missed the cut at PODS and Doral is now a World Golf event, meaning Bay Hill is PP's one last shot at success in the Sunshine State this spring.

Tune in tomorrow to see how this year's Arnold Palmer Invitational unfolds.