Perry bags 13th Tour crown

American edges Hoffman out at third extra hole

Last updated: 2nd February 2009   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Perry bags 13th Tour crown

Perry: 13th title

Leaderboard:
-14 K Perry
-14 C Hoffman
Perry won at third extra hole
-13 K Na
-12 J Nitties
-12 D Toms

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Kenny Perry banished the memory of a final hole bogey to beat Charley Hoffman in a play-off for the FBR Open title.

The 48-year-old American, who took part in his first Ryder Cup last year, had a 13th PGA Tour victory in his grasp with a one-shot lead heading down the 18th, but a bogey five saw him slip back to 14-under par after a final round 69.

Perry's one-shot overnight lead had earlier been eroded by playing partner Scott Piercy and rookie James Nitties, but it was Hoffman who delivered the biggest challenge.

The winner of the 2007 Bob Hope Classic edged ahead with a birdie at the 15th but a missed four-footer two holes later let in Perry, who also birdied 15 and picked up another shot at the penultimate hole.

But the veteran found sand off the tee at the final hole and was unable to scramble a par, sending the tournament into extra holes.

Both players bogeyed the first and parred the second before Perry rolled in a 22-footer to walk away with the title in Scottsdale.

Comfortable

"To me, this is a place I always felt like I could win," Perry said. "I always felt very comfortable on this golf course, and for whatever reason, I didn't putt well these last two days.

"But I hit it good enough to do well, and I thought it was going to be a special day."

"The playoff was ugly. We were hitting it everywhere, having to scramble from all over the place. But that was neat for me to make a putt - that's probably the first putt I've ever made to win.

"Those are the putts you think about when you're a kid; you're on the putting green saying, 'This is to win the Masters' or whatever, and I finally made one. It took me a long time to do it."

American Kevin Na had a chance to join the play-off but missed an eight foot birdie putt on the final hole and had to settle for third place, while former USPGA champion David Toms carded his fourth round of the week in the sixties to tie for fourth with Nitties.

England's Luke Donald showed further signs of a resurgence from last year's wrist injury, overcoming an opening round of 76 to finish in a tie for 25th on six under par, closing with a round of 69.