Kenny Perry shot a 6-under 66 on Sunday to win the Buick Open by a stroke at 19 under, likely locking up a spot on the Ryder Cup team that will face Europe at Valhalla, Kentucky.
"I'm ecstatic," he said. "It really won't sink in until I'm actually putting on the red, white and blue."
Perry was amazed he won at Warwick Hills, Michigan, for a second time because Woody Austin closed with consecutive bogeys to blow the tournament and Bubba Watson just missed a 12-footer (3.66 meters) that would've forced a playoff.
While Perry was on the driving range, he backed into earning US$900,000. "I still can't believe I won," he said. "I feel like I need to go make a birdie out there to win."
Austin and Watson shot 68s.
The 47-year-old Perry joined Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson as the only multiple winners this year on the PGA Tour, became the oldest player to win at Warwick Hills and joined a short list of multiple champions in the event.
Vijay Singh has three Buick Open titles, while Tiger Woods, Julius Boros, Tony Lema and now Perry have two in the tournament that celebrated its 50th anniversary.
"It's always nice to have your name associated with the greats of the game," Perry said.
(Agencies via Shanghai Daily July 1, 2008)
