Perez to miss up to two months after ankle injury

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Pat Perez, shown here at the Masters in April, was in the midest of his best season to date on TOUR.

Pat Perez could miss the next eight weeks after suffering two torn ligaments in his right ankle, an injury he sustained while running with his dog last week.

That means that Perez, who earlier this year won the 50th Bob Hope Classic hosted by Arnold Palmer, will miss next week's British Open qualifier and will also likely miss a chance to qualify for the U.S. Open next month.

Perez went for a run last Friday with his German Shepherd, Duke, near his home in Scottsdale, Ariz., when "He went one way, I went another and somehow missed the curb and wrecked my ankle," Perez said on his Web site. "Once we hobbled back to the house, I headed to the doc, got an MRI and learned that I tore up two of the three ligaments that go over the ankle. Not good."

In addition to his win in Palm Springs earlier this year -- his first career victory on the PGA TOUR -- Perez has two other top-20 finishes this season with a tie for 17th at the World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship and a tie for fourth at the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard.

Perez is also currently 14th in the latest FedExCup standings.

"Best case scenario I'd be out for five weeks and back for the Travelers Championship late June," said Perez, who had planned to play in this week's HP Byron Nelson Championship before getting hurt. "Even that might be too soon, though.

"The docs are really pushing me to lay low and take some time off, which is asking a lot for a guy like me. I don't do too well with 'down time.'"