Pat Perez shot an opening round 71 at Grayhawk today. The Scottsdale resident netted five birdies, but gave them back with four bogeys and a double. Perez enters Friday T80th and in need of a low scoring second round if he's going to see the weekend.
Friday's tee time is 12:21pm local. Tune in for the latest.
PP checking in. Wrapping up a month long stretch and home this week, gearing up for my last tourney of the year. Proud of the past few weeks. I've been working hard on my game and things started falling into place. Put together some nice rounds at Turning Stone, LaCantera and Summerlin. Not strong enough for a win, but made a run, got a few top tens, climbed the money list a bit and now one last week to see what I can make happen.
Vegas was cool. Hard not to have fun out there. Golf during the day, good dinners at night and fun to play some cards. Shot a bogey-free 63 last Friday and then headed to Planet Hollywood for (Justin) Timberlake's concert. Four-hour event and I had to play Saturday morning, but we stuck it out because JT was the last act and we wanted to see him do his thing. Lots of special guests there. 50 Cent, Adam Levine (Maroon 5) and Lionel Richie all did songs with him and before the main act Boyz II Men, Rhianna and a few others warmed the crowd up.
Put together a solid back nine on Saturday, but hit left on 18 and carded my only double bogey of the week. Definitely changed the dynamic of things. Hated to give two back. Especially after battling back from +2 after 12. Eagled #13, par on 14 and then three straight birdies had me -3 on the day and -18 for the week. Rolled into Sunday and the -1 round was good for T24th.
Flew back to Scottsdale on Sunday night, rested up and had a few of the boys over Monday night for a BBQ. Jason Gore, Steve Elkington, Robert Gamez, Tim Herron, Brian Savage (NHL), Mark Mulder and some other buds who made the trip for Tuesday's Metallica show.
Played the practice round on Tuesday, did a spot for Taylor Made where I talked about driving the ball (I think it'll be on their site), worked out with my guy Joey D, rested up and then took in the Metallica show last night down in Glendale.
Opening night of the tour and we had the Coyotes' box. Great show. Definitely great to see them still tearing it up. Played a lot of the new album, but left out a lot of hits. They only played a half dozen of the old songs, which was a downer - but still, it was Metallica. Big drums. Loud guitars. Tons of explosions. Good times.
Teeing it up at 7:51am tomorrow and looking to put together four good rounds. Pretty beat after these past few weeks, so looking forward to laying low starting next week and getting back to gearing up for the December wedding down in Cabo. I'll check in between now and then. A few Bolts games to check out and other action going on that'll be worth writing about.
Pat Perez is in Vegas and the late season tear continues. After back-to-back top ten finishes, PP hit the ground running in his second-to-last event of 2008, going 66 and 63 in the opening rounds.
Thursday's round of 66 could've, should've and would've been a 62 or better, had a few putts fallen. Rarely do you see -4 on four par fives with two eagles.
Bogeys on #1, #4 and #12 were the only blemishes over the first 36 holes.
Friday's round of 63 was flawless. Nine birdies, nine pars and no bogeys.
Saturday's tee time is 12:32pm PT. Follow all the action online and live on the Golf Channel.
After back-to-back Top 10 finishes, at least someone is noticing the trend here. PGATour.com's Senior Correspondent Dave Shedloski picked Pat Perez, not as a 'sleeper', but to hoist the trophy Sunday afternoon in Las Vegas.
"There have been lots of breakthroughs at this event in recent editions; in fact, newcomers to the PGA Tour victory ranks seem to be like rolling the dice in Vegas. Pat Perez has the talent for multiple TOUR titles, but he needs his first, and it could come here after a strong finishing kick at the Valero Texas Open."
After a T10th at Turning Stone and T8th at the Valero Texas Open, PP reeled in $268,500 and jumped from low sixties on the money list, to 49th. With two events left on the docket, Perez needs a few more big time finishes, or a win, to secure top 30 for next season.
Tune in for the latest action this week in Sin City.
Pat Perez started the day T19th, but after an early afternoon tear, found himself in the lead.
After opening with birdies on #1 and #3, Perez cruised through the rest of the front nine and hit the turn, -1. A birdie, eagle, birdie, par, birdie run moved PP to -6 on the day and in the hunt, though those a top the leaderboard with later tee times still had ground to make up.
A missed birdie opp on #15 and bogey on #17 had Perez at -5 on the day and made for a final round 65. Perez wound up -12 on the event and T8th.
Back-to-back top ten finishes helped Perez jump to #49 on the money list, a few steps closer to achieving the goal of top thirty and exemption to next year's majors.
Tune in this week for the J.T. Shriners Open in Las Vegas, NV.
An opening round 71 was a good enough start, but Pat Perez got busy Friday morning, rolling his way to a second round 64. Perez netted four birdies in his first eight holes of the day and four more in eight, after the turn. Bogeys on #9 and #18 were the difference between a great round and a stellar one.
At -5 after two, Perez is currently four off the lead - with several groups still set to go off.
This past month could've gone either way for Pat Perez.
Instead of the standard "R&R" one experiences with four weeks off, Perez "relaxed" the only way he knows how; by staying on the go.
Chargers games. A few treks to Palm Desert to work with Coach. Down time with friends. It helps him stay focused as one final four-week run remains.
The difference between a 'good' season and a great one.
$1.4M on the year and you're keeping your card. The heat is off. A few good weeks over the next four, top 60 becomes top 30 and you're now booked every weekend there's a major next year.
One great week and a trophy is finally hoisted.
Turning Stone was a step in the right direction. Three rounds under par and one even. Six-under on the week, three off the winner and T10th; Perez's first top ten since May (6th - Colonial).
For the first time in a long time, the 'pressure' is off. After a few months in the lab, Perez gets a handful of under the radar events to try out his new game. The post-FedExCup era is underway. Football reigns supreme in fall and Major League Baseball finally has meaning. The PGA is in the rearview until next year's west coast swing.
Under the radar. That's how it'll happen. For a rookie everyone saw fall apart on the 72nd hole of his second pro event, few will be watching when things finally come full circle. Which is probably how the seven-year pro would prefer it.
For the low-key, family and friend-oriented Perez, there couldn't be three more tailor made (Taylor, for the suits) events and P.P.-style environments to get it done:
- Up next, the Valero Texas Open and staying with longtime-bud Tommy Armour III, who won the event in 2003.
- From there, Summerlin (aka - J.T.S.H.F.C.O) and an eventful week in Vegas. Friends and fam in town, some home cooking and the ideal spot for a victory soiree.
- Grayhawk? No place like home. A win, a celebratory bar-b-que and asleep in your own bed. It's almost too fitting.
Seven years ago Perez was the Q-school medalist. On a week when no one was looking, the then Buy.com pro strung together a 67-68-63-70-65 run, the third-lowest ever Q-school total.
Under the radar. When they're not paying attention.
That's when it happened before and if the golf gods have a sense of humor, that's how it happens again.
Pat Perez shot an opening round 71 at Grayhawk today. The Scottsdale resident netted five birdies, but gave them back with four bogeys and a double. Perez enters Friday T80th and in need of a low scoring second round if he's going to see the weekend.
