Kenny Perry will not let people forget him. The hard-working professional, a cut above journeyman, was the best player in the world aged over 40 last year.
After his loss to Angel Cabrera in the US Masters final, the Kentucky man returned to our collective conscious. And he refuses to go away, at 48 years old.
Perry won his 14th career US PGA Tour victory in record style with his triumph at the Travelers Championship in Cromwell, Connecticut over the weekend.
He steamed past fellow American Paul Goydos in the last round, shooting seven-under-par 63 for a record four-day total of 22-under-par 258. That was two strokes better than the previous record held by Notah Begay.
The performance included tying the course record of 61 on the opening day.
Perry has now won 11 tournaments since turning 40 and last year made the US Ryder Cup team that won the trophy in his home state. And he hopes he can keep on collecting the wins, telling AFP:
“Everyone kind of asks about the Augusta hangover. I guess I kind of shoved that aside a little bit. So that makes me feel pretty good. I’ve won three last year, two this year already. Who knows? If I can get hot again, get on one of those streaks and sneak in two more by the end of the year.â€
Goydos, who still managed to score a respectable 67, finished in a tie for second place with David Toms, who closed with 65.
Ryan Moore, Hunter Mahan and Ben Curtis tied for fourth on 263 with the first two golfers both shooting 64 in their final rounds.
There was another player reminding the world that he was still around on the other side of the Atlantic.
Nick Dougherty returned to winning ways after a long tournament drought when he won the BMW International in Munich in European Tour.
The Englishman shot a final round of 64 to score a one-stroke victory over Rafa Echenique and claim his third career victory.
Dougherty finished on 22-under-par 266 as Echenique finished in dazzling style with an albatross two on the par-five 18th to just miss out on a play-off.
The victory also earns him a spot in the British Open at Turnberry and provides a timely boost to his career.
Dougherty, who led the US Open two years ago, has since slipped out of the world’s top 100. With his star being overtaken by other British stars led by the likes of Paul Casey and Rory McIlroy, Dougherty has once again put himself in a position to regain his prestige.
On the LPGA Tour, South Korean Shin Jiyai won her fifth title in 11 months when she triumphed at the Wegman’s tournament in Rochester, New York.
Rookie Shin closed with a one-under 71 for a total of 17-under 271 and a seven-stroke victory over Taiwan’s Tseng Yani and Kristy McPherson.
The 21-year-old is already well ahead of her targets for the season. She was hoping to win Rookie of the Year. That is a distinct possibility but she also finds herself on top of the LPGA money list after her second victory over season.
