Perry edges stumbling Austin to win Buick Open for second time

6/30/2008

GRAND BLANC, Mich. (AP) -- Kentucky, Kenny Perry is coming home. 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 about 40 miles from his birthplace.

Perry was amazed he won at Warwick Hills for a second time because Woody Austin closed with consecutive bogeys to blow the tournament and Bubba Watson just missed a 12-footer that would've forced a playoff.
While Perry was on the driving range, he backed into earning $900,000.

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 this week.

Austin sounded like he wanted to hide in a trunk.

He became the leader by curling a 9-footer in at the 16th, then fell back into a tie by missing a 13-foot putt for par on the next hole. But he three-putted from 63 feet to close the tournament and put Perry ahead.

Watson had a chance to force a 73rd hole despite a hooked tee shot by remarkably punching the ball onto the green to set up a makable putt that he barely missed.

Perry is not going to be at the British Open because he already committed to playing in Milwaukee the same week, following his decision to not
attempt to qualify for the U.S. Open the day after winning the Memorial.

Perry, who won in 2001 at Warwick Hills, has 11 victories on the PGA Tour.

Leaderboard – Final:

1. Kenny Perry                 USA  69 67 67 66 269 -19
2. Woody Austin               USA  66 67 69 68 270 -18
    Bubba Watson             USA  67 67 68 68 270 -18
4. Bob Tway                     USA  68 71 67 65 271 -17
    Ken Duke                     USA  69 66 69 67 271 -17
    Matt Jones                   AUS  70 63 71 67 271 -17
7. Brian Gay                     USA  69 68 70 65 272 -16
    Lucas Glover                 USA  70 66 69 67 272 -16
9. John Rollins                  USA  72 64 72 65 273 -15
    Fredrik Jacobson           SWE  68 66 72 67 273 -15
    Dudley Hart                  USA  64 68 70 71 273 -15

Source: AP, PGA Tour