“[I’ve] come back here to great memories, great fans, great place that I felt like I can always be very competitive at … it’s the first time in my career I’ve ever been able to back up a win with a win. I won 14 times on the PGA Tour and whenever I had my defense I played very poorly on my title defense. This is my eighth win on the Champions Tour and on my other seven I didn’t do well on my defense,” said Kenny Perry.
Perry had not won any tournament since winning in Blaine last year. He found himself 5 shots off the lead after the first round. Minnesota’s own Tom Lehman was a top the leader board. But, with a fantastic second round Perry quickly caught him.
“Yesterday magic happened with what I call the rocking chair seat; I’m five behind, I’m teeing off early, nobody’s really paying attention to me and I go out there and birdie the first three and make a hole in one on the fourth… and I just kind of carried the momentum around.”
He came into the third round with a four shot lead and a hot start from playing partner Kevin Sutherland provided him with a challenge and he responded. “Kevin came out fired. He birdied the first three, he birdied the fifth, and I’m thinking ‘oh my word he’s all over me’ and I’m thinking ‘I can’t just make pars, I’ve got to make birdies.’”
Perry kept his competitors at arms length throughout the final round, always maintaining at least a three shot lead. Perry also still plays regularly on the PGA Tour and knew he needed a good showing in Blaine to keep in the mix for the season long Charles Schwab Cup on the Champions Tour.
“I’d only played eight events on the Champions Tour this year because I played ten on the PGA. I was way behind out here on the Champions Tour so I was hoping to have a great week again this week to make enough money to solidify my spot in the Charles Schwab Cup and I think I’ve done that. That was my goal and to be able to achieve it is fantastic.”
Perry plans to take the next several weeks off and spend time with his wife Sandy and their grandchildren. And, next year Perry will be back in Blaine to go for the three-peat.
