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MASTERS TOURNAMENT

April 12, 2009

Kenny Perry

AUGUSTA, GEORGIA

ROB JOHNSTON: We appreciate very much having Kenny Perry with us today. He had four spectacular rounds with us to make this one of the most fantastic rounds in current master history, with rounds of 65, 70, 72 and 69. We'll open it up for questions, please.

Q. If you could have one stroke back, which one would it be?
KENNY PERRY: First putt on 13.

Q. It seemed like you kind of were putting a couple nails in the coffin of Cabrera but he kept coming back; can you talk about that you thought you put him away a couple of times and he didn't go away?
KENNY PERRY: I never really looked at Angel. I knew Chad was playing good in front of me and I saw Tiger and Phil going crazy out there.
Angel, he hit some great shots on 15 and 16. I was able to top his birdies. He hit it close on 16 and I hit it to a foot or four inches on 16.
You know what, I loved that I -- I also had that chip on 17. I skulled two chips on 15 and 18 in John Deere to put me in the playoff, and I did the same thing on 17, I skulled it again. I can't stop my right hand, when I get a little nervous, it wants to shoot a little bit and I can't calm it down.
But other than that, you know, 17, 18 are tough holes, and I hit a good drive on 18. It just drew just a little bit and got in that front bunker, which I didn't think it was in there when I first saw it take off. I thought it was perfect out there.
You know it, was a good day. I played great all the way through 16. I did okay on 17 and 18. It wasn't like I hit lousy shots. And I had a putt to win.
I had that putt on 18 that I've seen Tiger make it, I've seen so many people make that putt. I knew exactly what it was. That was probably the most disappointing putt of the day because I hit it too easy. You know what, you've got to give that putt a run. I mean, how many chances do you have to win the Masters?
That was very disappointing. But he made a great up -- he's in the trees, he hits it out and he hits a beautiful sand wedge in there for a 6-, 8-footer, I don't know how long it was, to get in a playoff. You have to hand it to him. He was fighting just as hard as I was out there.

Q. We were talking earlier in the week and Valhalla came up and you talked about how you still think about that one.
KENNY PERRY: I've got two to think about now.

Q. Is this going to be even tougher?
KENNY PERRY: Two different situations. I was young at Valhalla. Here, I thought I had enough -- I thought I had enough experience. I thought I had enough to hang in there, I really did.
But I was proud of how I played. I really was. I played great and I was positioning the ball where it needed to be positioned out there on the golf course, and I just kept chugging along.
And then, you know, when I 3-putted 13, that really hurt, I mean, because I knew -- I knew the putt. I knew the break. But I couldn't believe how fast that putt was, and I just barely got it going. I was hoping my 5-iron, as it was coming in there, would kind of hit the slope and boomerang it back down to where the pin was but it didn't. It went on up and stayed up, which I thought was kind of unlucky.
It's just a -- I'm not going to feel sorry. I've told this out here. I've said, if this is the worst thing that happens to me, I can live with it. I really can. Great players get it done, and Angel got it done. This is his second Major he won. I've blown two, but that's the only two I've had chances of winning.
So, you know what, I'm looking forward to Bethpage Black. I'm looking forward to the British, to the PGA. You know what, I know I can do it now, because it was fun. I was actually having fun in the moment out there. So you know, you can back four rounds, and I can count up shots; I just didn't putt good enough this week. I had good speed. I just did not read the greens well enough.
My scores were good, but they could have been a whole lot better each and every day because I missed some crucial putts. I hit it close on 7, I hit it four feet left of the hole right there, an easy putt and I pushed it off to the right and I missed it.
So you know what, it's tough when it comes down to one shot can do it here and there. You know, our game's tough. It's a mental game and it plays a lot with your head out there. So I'm going to enjoy it. We are going to go have some fun.

Q. When you walked off the 16th green, did any part of you think that you had won Masters?
KENNY PERRY: No. I was so focused. I knew 17 and 18 are two hard holes. 17 is such a tight hole now. It was playing into the wind. We had a northeasterly wind today. We had a northwesterly wind yesterday. Yesterday is was kind of down, and today it was dead into the wind. I knew it was going to be a tough driving hole. I blocked it a little, hits the tree, comes back; and I had 180 into that hole where I've been having 150, something you can put some spin on it and kind of hold it. That green is very firm and kind of goes away from you. My 6-iron, I guess I was pumped up a little bit. It carried probably ten to 15 past the hole and rolled on over.
That was a little disappointing. But you know what, just so close.

Q. Second part, on 10 on the playoff hole, the second shot?
KENNY PERRY: I had mud on the right side of my ball. I told Freddie that. I said, "We got mud on the right side of the ball." I said, "It's going left. I just hope it don't go too far left." And it just kept easing its way over left and kind of missed on the bank there and spin it on down. I guess I should have aimed it more right, but it's a tough deal. You don't know quite what it's going to do.

Q. Your philosophy coming in, did you stick with your plan coming in, and did you feel with everything that was going on in front of you, did you ever feel like you had to make some adjustments?
KENNY PERRY: No. You can't attack this golf course. You never can. You've got to play position.
Each hole has its own set of problems out there and you've got to really -- I try to stay in the moment on each hole I played. I didn't try to really look ahead. I was in awe of what they were doing in front of me. When I saw Tiger and Phil both get it to 10-under, I was like, wow, they must be having a lot of fun up there. (Laughter).
I was hoping to have a little boxing match, but -- (laughter) -- I knew I was far enough ahead of them that they had to do something really spectacular to catch me. I was still out there two or three ahead of them and I had holes coming up through Amen Corner there, and I knew I could get to 13 and 15. I just had to stick to my game plan. It was flawless, perfect. I had so many birdie opportunities and I just couldn't convert them, and that's what hurt me in the end.

Q. What were your thoughts as you watched the flight of your tee shot on 16? You seemed so happy with it.
KENNY PERRY: If yall watched me, I looked like Gary Player, I hit it and took off after it and was walking immediately behind it, because I knew I hit it perfect. I knew it was going right in that slot to where it was going to spin down to the hole, and the crowd was going to go crazy. I didn't realize, it was like four inches or whatever. So I knew when they were all standing up and cheering, I knew it was close.
Angel made an unbelievable putt there right on top of me. So that was probably an unbelievable moment for him.

Q. How do you think the conversation is going to go with your father tonight?
KENNY PERRY: Well, I hope they are not too sad. You know, Dad, he will try to pump me up if I know my dad. You know what, he just feels sorry for me. He just wanted me to win. I know it with all his heart, he wants the best for me just like I want the best for my kids. We'll have a good conversation tonight.

Q. Any consideration on putting the third shot on 17?
KENNY PERRY: Not really. I've struggled all week putting through the fringe on that grass. It's real sticky. Every time I tried it, I had no luck with it. Now I wish I hit my 64 degree and just hit a spinner and just went on and whacked it, instead of trying to hit a bump-and-run, which is usually what gets me in trouble.

Q. With all of the pre-tournament talk about the excitement being gone on the back nine, the way the course was set up all week, is that a tribute to the fun that everyone had?
KENNY PERRY: The golf course was perfect, but the weather helped. The weather was great also. We had a combination. This was a beautiful Easter Sunday. There was not a cloud out there, just a gentle breeze. It was warm. It was a great week of golf. We had some blustery winds a couple of rounds that kind of separated the field, but the staff, they set the pins in great spots. They give us chances to actually get after them a little bit and to actually make birdies. The greens were perfect and the fairways were perfect. The golf course was unbelievable.
I just wish I had paid more attention earlier in my career when I came here and worked as hard on the golf course as I did before I got here this week. I would have been ahead of the game a lot quicker.

Q. Being the sentimental favorite, did that help you?
KENNY PERRY: I had a lot of people yelling UK, KU, Valhalla, Ryder Cup, I heard that from thousands of people out there. They were really the rooting me on each and every hole. I think I lost my hearing on a few holes they were screaming so loud. You get right next to them; they were having a lot of fun out there.

Q. You may be a little biased on this, but what's your thoughts on sudden death as the way to settle a Major Championship?
KENNY PERRY: Well, I mean, that's all I know. I think it's okay. I mean, I don't have any problem with it, if that's what you're asking.
Another 18-hole shootout tomorrow? It's possible. We have that. I like it. Let's go get it over with. The best guys usually are playing who are there that are in the final in the playoff. Let's go get it done.
ROB JOHNSTON: Well, Kenny, we appreciate you being with us. You gave us a spectacular performance and we look forward to having you back next year.

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