Pat Perez is a self-confessed, happy-go-lucky golfer who opposes fitness or diet regimes and believes in enjoying life to the fullest. He wears cool high-top golf shoes and keeps his hair long and flowy which is reminiscent of 1980s rock stars.
“I'm not going to change anything,” said Perez after running away with a four-shot triumph in Malaysia. “I'm still not going to work out. I'll still have a bad diet and I'm going to enjoy myself. I don't get ahead of myself, I don't look in the past, I'm just kind of doing it. I think I'm the last guy that expected to win this week, to be honest with you. I did not think I was going to win.”
Just over 18 months ago, the colourful American, who grew up in the same era as Tiger Woods, was sidelined following a shoulder injury. When he began his comeback, the gremlins in his mind planted seeds of doubt but he received a boost through a sponsor’s invitation to feature in the 2016 CIMB Classic.
A tied 33rd seemed irrelevant then, but Perez went on to post a top-10 in his next start before going on to lift the OHL Classic at Mayakoba in Mexico for his second career PGA TOUR title. That victory sparked Perez to a career best 15th position in the final FedExCup standings during the 2016-17 season and victory at the CIMB Classic in October was validation that redemption does belong to those like Perez who keep up the fight when the chips are down.
As Perez earned the plaudits in Malaysia, Thomas headed to the CJ CUP very much low on gas for his final tournament of 2017. An opening 63 was the rejuvenation that he needed in Jeju island, known as the Hawaii of Korea, but buffeting winds over the next three rounds in the nation’s first official PGA TOUR tournament ensured a dog-fight.
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