Perez back in Mexico, at the top of his game
He has soared from No. 271 to No. 18 in world with strong year of golf
Pat Perez is in a better place these days.
Twelve months ago, the former PGA Tour journeyman headed into the OHL Classic at Mayakoba ranked No. 271 in the official world golf rankings, had one Tour victory to his name and was making just his third start after spending eight months healing from shoulder surgery.
“I was just hoping not get hurt again and hopefully get my card back and that kind of stuff,” Perez said of his return to the Tour last year.
His hopes were answered — he didn’t get hurt again. Instead, some dreams were realized. Playing on a medical exemption, Perez, 41, wasted little time in earning back his PGA Tour card by romping at El Camaleon Golf Club in Playa del Carmen, Mexico. With rounds of 68-66-62-67, Perez won his second Tour title by two strokes.
The victory ignited Perez’s best campaign, and he played in his first Tour Championship in his 16-year career to cap the 2016-17 season. He didn’t lose his form over the short offseason as he began his 2017-18 season with a fourshot victory in the CIMB Classic in Malaysia. From wondering if he would ever play at the PGA Tour level again after surgery repaired a torn labrum to now being ranked No. 18 in the world still amazes Perez.
I’ve told a thousand people, it’s unbelievable,” Perez said. “I was just fighting to get my job back, so after I won that all changed. But this year, since I won here and I won a couple weeks ago, it’s totally different, because I feel like I’m a totally different player and I have a different kind of outlook on life and everything. It’s amazing what the 12 months has brought.”
Perez has joked that it has just taken him longer to mature on and off the course, but he is no longer a stick of dynamite ready to explode, the years of grinding to make it on the PGA Tour softening what once was a hair-trigger temper. He and his wife, Ashley, thoroughly enjoy life day by day. And his work with swing coach Drew Steckel is yielding results.
“I am totally different, even though it doesn’t always seem like it on the course,” Perez said. “I know I’m a totally different person than I was 10 years ago, when I was kind of lost. I know where I am now in life, and I don’t really worry about the golf that much anymore, believe it or not.”
What hasn’t changed are Perez’s expectations. Sure, he wants to get back to The Tour Championship, make a run at being on the Ryder Cup team, but Perez won’t look ahead. He’ll take on the season one tournament, one round, one shot at a time.
“When we were coming up, Tiger was the only one, he was so far above everybody, and it was unbelievable,” Perez said of the bar-setting Tiger Woods of yesteryear. “Now you’ve got like 10 of these kids that can win at any time. Actually, you’ve got 50 guys a week that can win now. Nobody expects me to win or do anything, and that’s fine. That actually helps because I don’t have the expectations. I’m not in the media room every Wednesday, planning press conferences. I don’t want all that.
“I just kind of do my own thing and play golf. If I play well, great. If not, then it’s really no big deal, I’m not letting anybody down. I’m just at this place at 41 where I know where I’m at, I know where I’m going and I’m just trying to enjoy the ride.”
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