Kenny Perry gains third win of 2003

Kenny Perry isn't about to analyze the hottest streak of his career.

"I don't know why all of a sudden I'm winning golf Tournaments," Perry said after his victory Sunday at the Greater Milwaukee Open, his third win in four starts. "It's just my time, and I believe in my heart I'm going to win."

Perry sank a three-foot birdie putt for a one-stroke victory over Steve Allan and Heath Slocum at the GMO. Perry's entry into the Mercedes Championships had been earned by his win at the Bank of America Colonial.

He won the Bank of America Colonial, Memorial Tournament and finished third at the U.S. Open before taking three weeks off leading up to the GMO at Brown Deer Park, where he shot a 4-under 66 Sunday for a 12-under 268 total.

Brett Quigley finished in fourth, two strokes back.

Allan, Slocum and Quigley all were vying for their first PGA Tour victory.

"I had nothing to lose and those guys are fighting to win their first," said Perry, a seven-time winner on Tour who surpassed $13 million in career winnings.

Perry had to rally after his one-shot lead over Allan turned into a three-stroke deficit over a 16-minute span thanks to a bogey on the 12th hole and a double-bogey on No. 13.

Over the final four holes, Perry, who began the day with a one-stroke lead over six golfers, including Allan, had three birdies and a par and Allan posted three pars and a bogey.

Allan was on the practice range hoping for a playoff when he watched on a big screen as Perry hit his iron shot into thick rough 20 feet past the hole on No. 18 and then chipped to within three feet of the hole.

"When I saw the chip, I pretty much expected him to make it," Allan said. "He's a good putter."

Slocum, who had already birdied 18, also knew there would be no playoff.

"He'd been putting well all day," Slocum said. "I expected him to make it."

Perry felt great about his chances.

"I blasted out of that stuff and I had a 3-footer straight uphill to win," he said. "What kind of putt would you like to win the golf Tournament but straight in under the hole uphill?"

Perry birdied No. 17 after seeing that Allan had bogeyed the hole.

"I said, 'Oh my goodness, if I birdie the last two holes, I can win the golf Tournament,"' said Perry, who sank a 22-footer on No.17.

Perry's first-place check of $630,000 gives him $3,522,538 for the year, the first time he's passed the $3 million mark.

Allan, who had made just one cut and won just $8,240 this year, and Slocum each got $308,000.

Perry had finished in the top five the last three years and the GMO.

"I always thought I could win here. I really did," he said. "I just play so well here year after year after year. I felt like it was going to be my time. I really enjoy this golf course."

Even though it has more teeth than ever.

Since the GMO moved to Brown Deer Park in 1994, the winning score had ranged from 15 to 24 under.

One reason for the higher scores is the fourth hole was changed from a par-5 to a par-4 with the removal of a large oak tree, although it's still 485 yards to the hole.

Perry parred the hole all four days.

Weekend conditions were ideal for scoring after wind and rains hampered play the first two days, but the notoriously thick rough was higher than normal, putting the U.S. Open to shame and the pin placement was very difficult.

Last year's winner, Jeff Sluman, won at 23 under when the course played to a par-71.

The Tour implemented tougher pin placement and higher rough starting with the Sony Open in Hawaii, the first full field event of the season. Those changes proved most pronounced at the 6,759-yard Brown Deer Park course, one of the shortest on the PGA Tour.

"There has been a conscious effort to make things a little bit more difficult," PGA rules official Dillard Pruitt said. "We started setting some pins just three steps from some edges on certain holes.

"We feel like the athletes and the equipment are making golf courses obsolete. They're making what once were unreachable par-5s in two."

Divots: • Tournament director Dan Croak said the rough was supposed to be 5½ inches but grew taller because mowers couldn't get in with all the rain last week.
• Perry is the seventh player to surpass $3 million in winnings this season. Last year, only four players did so.
• Mike Heinen shot a 62, one shy of the course record.

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