Every Monday during the PGA Tour season, Monday Pin Placement will run as a wrap-up of the weekend's action. Basically, we'll focus on what you missed while you were out grinding on the putting green.Is Kenny Perry the Second Best U.S. Golfer? -- He's 48, yet Kentucky native Kenny Perry is playing the best golf of his career. Perry, who announced earlier this year that he wants to get to 20 wins in his career (he's currently at 14), has put up some staggeringly consistent numbers over the last year that now have him in the conversation as one of the top American golfers right now.
Sure, Perry is no Tiger Woods, and even when Woods is "slumping" he is miles better than the competition, so that isn't even an argument. But a case for Perry as the second best American golfer isn't crazy.
Let us look back to June 1, 2008. That was when Perry won the Memorial, basically securing his spot on the Ryder Cup, his only goal of last season. Now, here are some numbers to chew on.
As of June 1, 2008, his numbers trumped even the second best golfer in the world ...
Perry -- Scoring Average -- 67.16, Missed Cuts -- 0 (One withdraw), Wins -- 5
Phil Mickelson -- Scoring Average -- 70.56, Missed Cuts -- 2, Wins -- 2
If that isn't enough to sway you, look at Perry's consistency this season. He has played in 16 tournaments, finishing in the top-10 seven times but finishing out of the top-35 only three times. That means in 16 tournaments, Perry has been within shouting distance of the lead at some point during each week. If Perry would have converted that Masters victory, then this wouldn't even be a discussion, but over the last year, he has been as good as anyone on tour and continues to show that.
While his ball flight doesn't give him much of an advantage at the British Open (Perry tends to hit the ball high in the air, which wouldn't really play in the wind), Turnberry is the type of links course that could play to his advantage if the golfers get mild winds. Thinking that Perry, who turns 49 in just over a month, could still have a chance at a major might seem out of the question after the quagmire at Augusta, but we've seen that when he puts his mind to certain goals, they almost always get accomplished, so if he wants to buckle down for Hazeltine in August, you better not look past him on your picks sheet.
Wie Needs a Win To Get in Open Field -- Her Twitter page said it all after Michelle Wie left Wegmans LPGA with another top-10 finish, but no trophy: "Had alot of fun at wegmAns but I am getting excited for Jamie farr this week! One last chance to get into the open! DO WORK."
Wie, the 19-year-old Cinderella in Swoosh, must win her first LPGA Title this week at the Jamie Farr to get into the U.S. Open field, or face missing the tournament for the first time in her entire career. Wie has played in every U.S. Open since she tied for 39th in 2003.
People continue to dog Wie's game, but she is currently 16th on the LPGA in both scoring average and the money list. A win would basically justify all the work she's put in her game, but it isn't something we should expect anymore.
With her game, the wins will come, but they sure seem like they'd have come sooner than this.
