Hi °C | Lo °C The way Jim Furyk tells it, there’s Obama, McCain ... and Perry.
After parading around Valhalla all week with Kentucky heroes Kenny Perry and JB Holmes, Furyk said it was like following a presidential candidate on the campaign trail.
Holmes blows minds with his awesome power but, with respect to the 26-year-old, Perry represents the heart and soul of this Ryder Cup.
"You’d think Kenny is running for office out there," says Furyk. "I mean votes aren’t coming in until November but he’s been pressing some palms out there.
"Kenny’s so nice and so worried about everyone else. He’s running up to tees, grabbing his driver and swinging real quick and then running down the fairway ... it probably can’t get any better than playing in your home state, in front of your home crowd and in an event like this."
Perry is the original small town boy. He hails from Franklin, population 8,079, which PGA Tour colleague Steve Flesch, also from Kentucky, says "is like that old expression ‘you have got to get lost to find it".
Though he’s earned $26m-plus from golf, Perry (48) not only remains close to his family roots but has also nurtured them by splashing out $4m to build County Creek Golf Club, an investment which keeps green fees down to $28 per round, including buggy.
Perry found out what life was like for Padraig Harrington, Paul McGinley and Darren Clarke in the run-up to The K Club as he scrambled to satisfy the demand for tickets from neighbours, friends and relatives.
As a Ryder cup player, he received 20 complimentary tickets from the PGA of America, bought 50 at a cost of $5,000, won 10 on the public lottery and then was able to purchase another 40 from the readers of a golf magazine which reported on his plight.
Perry did all of his serious practice at Valhalla last week, making a little more time to sign autographs, shake hands and stop for a chat with his constituents once Ryder Cup week began.
As soon as he opens his mouth, one instantly understands why Paul Azinger sees Perry as the key weapon in his armoury. Mr Nice Guy turns Tiger for the week...this guy’s passion is infectious and the US captain expects it to electrify his locker room and ignite the Kentucky crowd.
"We’re going to feed off the energy of the gallery," says Perry.
"I know 100% it’s going to be great. If we get behind they’ll pump us up. If we go ahead they’ll root us on. It really is going to be an outstanding three days for us."
Perry has played in one Ryder Cup and three Presidents Cups and picked-up three of his 12 PGA Tour victories this year as he went all-out to make Azinger’s team.
Though some scratched their head when he declined a place in The Open at Royal Birkdale, there’s no questioning Perry’s ambition this week.
"I’ve told everybody I’ve put all my eggs in this basket. This is what I’ll be remembered for," he says.
"I’ve done all my work and I’m ready to play. If it doesn’t go my way, I can live with that. I can lay my head on the pillow at night and I’ll sleep. But if it goes the way I think it can, it will be the neatest week of my life. It’ll beat any of my wins by a mile."
He’s high on adrenaline and utterly devoid of fear. Such men are dangerous.
"It can also be a negative," warns Furyk. "You can try too hard to make everyone happy but it was fun to be out there with him and feel all that from the crowd. I wish him the best."
One suspects that even die-hard European fans do so as well.
