It's all about the Ryder Cup for Perry, as it was for Funk

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DUBLIN, Ohio (AP) -- He is closing in on 50 and so desperate to make the U.S. Ryder Cup team that he was willing to skip a major championship to increase his chances. Besides, he didn't think the course was a good fit for his game.

Kenny Perry isn't the only player who felt that way.

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Kenny Perry knows what he wants, and he's going for it.

Four years ago, Fred Funk caused a minor stink when he skipped the British Open to play the B.C. Open and boost his chances of making the Ryder Cup team. The circumstances were slightly different, for several players didn't think it was right for Funk to pick up Ryder Cup points the same week as a major.

But it showed how much the Ryder Cup means to American players.

Funk had no regrets because he didn't think links golf at Royal Troon offered him much hope to succeed. Besides, the Ryder Cup criteria has changed since then and is based primarily on money. In 2004, third place at the B.C. Open was equivalent to seventh place at the British Open. This year, third place in Milwaukee would be comparable to about 25th place the British Open.

Perry has played only three times at Torrey Pines, site of next week's U.S. Open, without ever reaching the weekend. He is only hurting himself by not playing the Open, but feels as though he would be worse off going through a 36-hole qualifier (that's 108 holes in five days) for a course where he doesn't have good vibes. Instead, he will play Memphis, Hartford and Detroit, where he has more success.

How could anyone miss a major?

Jack Nicklaus said it's one thing if Perry were in his 20s and a rising star, quite another for him to be 47 and trying to make a Ryder Cup team played in his home state of Kentucky.

Annika Sorenstam, for example, skipped a U.S. LPGA Tour major when she was 28, having played overseas and in need of a rest.

"My goal was never to make the Ryder Cup. It was to win the U.S. Open," Nicklaus said. "But I understand. It's a big thing to Kenny. I don't think Kenny is trying to be No. 1 in the world. He's trying to make a Ryder Cup team in his home state. That's perfectly fine."

It's doubtful that U.S. captain Paul Azinger minds. The money counts double at majors, but Azinger is aware that nearly half of the Americans who finished in the top 10 at majors last year failed to win a tournament.

Remember, he wants winners.

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Nicklaus

IT'S THE ECONOMY
Memorial host Jack Nicklaus wanted the prize money to be $7 million this year, making it the highest purse among regular U.S. PGA TOUR events and equal to the playoff events.

Instead, he kept it at $6 million because he thought it would send a bad signal at a time when fans from around central Ohio are struggling with jobs, gas is approaching $4 a gallon and the economy is tight.

"There are certain times you do certain things," Nicklaus said. "I just don't think that sends a good message."

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Pettersen

SUZANN AND THE KING
Suzann Pettersen is a member at Bay Hill in Orlando, and the biggest perk is running into Arnold Palmer.

"I've been around good players out here, like Juli Inkster, Meg Mallon, Beth Daniel. But to be able to get to know and dig into Mr. Palmer's head, that's fun," she said. "He's like a grandpa out there. He's so nice, always friendly, always smiles, always signs autographs."

She noticed something else about Palmer, who turns 79 in September. "He's always on the range," she said. "He's there every morning. Any time he's unhappy with his game, he'll go get a few drivers from his garage and go hit some. And he's like, all of a sudden, 'I've got it!' He's like 79 years old. We're like, 'OK, that's great.'

"What a character."

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DIVOT
Colin Montgomerie fell out of the top 100 this week, leaving Alastair Forsyth (who qualified Monday for the U.S. Open) at No. 95 as the highest-ranked player from Scotland.