Pat Perez wins the OHL Classic at Mayakoba

Big congrats to our local San Diego boy, Pat Perez who took home the W at the PGA Tour’s OHL Classic at Mayakoba this last weekend. My friendship with Pat started at the La Costa Golf School when he was working with Carl Welty back in 1993. Carl was Pat’s instructor before he was a teenager until he turned 22 years old. Carl is really the reason Pat is so damn good, he developed Pat into the best Junior in the world when he was 15 years old even beating Tiger in all of the Junior Golf Majors that year including Junior World at Torrey Pines and Pinehurst #2 where Pat shot 62 to win the Maxfli Junior Champion.

 Pat trained with Carl everyday after school and on the weekends, that kid could play and he was sure fun to watch. Pat then got a scholarship to ASU, his first year there they won the NCAA Championship. Pat had a little trouble at ASU and decided to turn pro early. I helped Pat get his first sponsorship money after he left ASU and then caddied for him his first year of turning pro. We had a great time out there and I watched some of the most incredible golf shots that could be played. He could/can do things with the golf club that very few can do, counting guys on the PGA Tour.

Once he turned pro he won his first five events, they were small mini tour events but regardless he won five. We traveled all around the US playing in state opens and any event that was two days or more. We had a little falling out going into the second year, so I quit caddying for him which could have been the best thing for his career because Mike Hartford is one hell of a guy, player and caddy and it takes a very special person to deal with Pat full time.

Pat is still, hands down the most talented golfer I have ever seen. People that know my previous relationship with Pat have sent me messages saying that it is unbelievable that he came back after eight months off from shoulder surgery and won this weekend. Well, it is awesome that he won but with the level of his talent he should have 20+ wins and three Majors under his belt. This dude has gone through so many swing changes and coaches but still stays in the top 80 or better on tour, other players that would go that same route would be flipping burgers somewhere.

I hope he continues into 2017 with the same success he is finishing 2016 with. Not sure who is agent is but I recommend looking into a sponsorship with Soul Glo for 2017, might take that mullet to another level.