Despite a 3-putt - albeit from 53 feet - Kenny Perry's putting performance was the best yet logged into our 2009 Tour Winner's database. Brian Gay set the previous mark by making 53% of the 70 1st-putt opportunities that he faced at the St. Jude Golf Classic in Memphis AND without a 3-putt.
Kenny had 71 1st putt chances and only made 46% and, as stated, recorded a single 3-putt in his final round. How then could his putting performance be considered better? As I have written many times, it is the DISTANCE that counts NOT the total number of putts. The average starting distance of Kenny's putts for the week was almost 7 feet further from the hole than Brian Gay's.
Kenny Perry 17 feet vs. Brian Gay 10 feet
This 7 foot difference is extremely important because even the best of the best golfers on the PGA Tour see their "make" percentage fall off rapidly outside 10 feet. Kenny Perry separated himself in the 11 - 30 foot range where he made 12 of 35 attempts (34%). The Tour average would be 9, or 26%. Coincidently, Kenny's three stroke difference exactly matches his margin of victory.
Two key niblicks of truth about Kenny's 3-putt: First, it is not at all unusual for the winner on the PGA Tour to have one. Our 2009 Winners 3-putt once in every 100 attempts (1%). Most of the 3-putts fall in the 50+ foot range like Kenny's. Second, more than one 3-putt, however, generally results in not winning a tournament. Our 2009 Top-10 profile, comprised of players usually only 2 or 3 shots away from winning, 3-putts 2% of their opportunities.
What should we mere mortal golfers take from all this? Nothing too profound, except the advice that on those days when your putter is "hot" and you are seeing and feeling the line, take advantage of it - they don't come along very often.
Kenny had 71 1st putt chances and only made 46% and, as stated, recorded a single 3-putt in his final round. How then could his putting performance be considered better? As I have written many times, it is the DISTANCE that counts NOT the total number of putts. The average starting distance of Kenny's putts for the week was almost 7 feet further from the hole than Brian Gay's.
Kenny Perry 17 feet vs. Brian Gay 10 feet
This 7 foot difference is extremely important because even the best of the best golfers on the PGA Tour see their "make" percentage fall off rapidly outside 10 feet. Kenny Perry separated himself in the 11 - 30 foot range where he made 12 of 35 attempts (34%). The Tour average would be 9, or 26%. Coincidently, Kenny's three stroke difference exactly matches his margin of victory.
Two key niblicks of truth about Kenny's 3-putt: First, it is not at all unusual for the winner on the PGA Tour to have one. Our 2009 Winners 3-putt once in every 100 attempts (1%). Most of the 3-putts fall in the 50+ foot range like Kenny's. Second, more than one 3-putt, however, generally results in not winning a tournament. Our 2009 Top-10 profile, comprised of players usually only 2 or 3 shots away from winning, 3-putts 2% of their opportunities.
What should we mere mortal golfers take from all this? Nothing too profound, except the advice that on those days when your putter is "hot" and you are seeing and feeling the line, take advantage of it - they don't come along very often.
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