AUGUSTA, Ga. – The putter is normally the most important instrument at Augusta National, but for Kenny Perry, his week atop the Masters leaderboard has come courtesy of a cooperative driver.
Perry switched to a TaylorMade R9 (9.5 degrees with a Matrix HD 6 shaft) at last month’s Arnold Palmer Invitational and the improvement has been dramatic. Through three rounds, Perry had hit 78 percent of Augusta National’s fairways, compared to his 62 percent season average.
“I put this new driver in play and I told my caddie, ‘I think I can win a U.S. Open with this driver, because I'm driving it so straight,’ ” said Perry, who switched from the company’s Burner driver. “I've probably lost 5 to 7 yards in distance, but it's given me a lot of confidence in straightness. It doesn’t really curve as much from right to left.”
Perry switched to a TaylorMade R9 (9.5 degrees with a Matrix HD 6 shaft) at last month’s Arnold Palmer Invitational and the improvement has been dramatic. Through three rounds, Perry had hit 78 percent of Augusta National’s fairways, compared to his 62 percent season average.
“I put this new driver in play and I told my caddie, ‘I think I can win a U.S. Open with this driver, because I'm driving it so straight,’ ” said Perry, who switched from the company’s Burner driver. “I've probably lost 5 to 7 yards in distance, but it's given me a lot of confidence in straightness. It doesn’t really curve as much from right to left.”
Hoggard, a senior writer, covers the PGA Tour and appears on-air in several capacities.
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