Dubai: Event debutant Pat Perez said he’d need a miracle to get back in the Omega Dubai Desert Classic after following up a blazing front nine of seven under with a disappointing two over return in Saturday’s third round.
The World No. 17, who is the fifth highest ranked player here this week, was seven under through his front nine holes on 13 under for the tournament after opening with two 69s. But then the 41-year-old American bogeyed twice on his return to card a 67, leaving him 11 under overall.
“I don’t have an answer,” he said when asked what went wrong. “I played 45 terrible holes and nine miraculous ones, that’s about it.
“These guys are going to be well ahead, so it would take another miracle from here but we’ll see.
“I think it was luck,” he said of his front nine, which had four birdies in the first five holes and a birdie and an eagle over the last two. “Then the real stuff came on the back.
“I’m not surprised with how I played that way, I’ve been playing good a year now,” he said of his front nine.
“I’m more surprised playing the other way on the other side, it was a pretty disappointing day really.
“I’m not worried. It was a bad nine, it is what it is, it’s not affected me either way, if I play well tomorrow I play well tomorrow, I’m not going to go home and stew, what’s done is done.
“I just haven’t had the best stuff this week and it’s unfortunate because I love the course and think it’s amazing, I’m just not getting anything out of it, it’s very frustrating.”
Of his wider form, which has seen him get into the world’s top 20 despite his advancing years, he said: “It’s been a hell of a ride. The odds were against me coming back but I’ve done a great job to get myself in this position.
“I’m excited about being here and trying to move up, but to do that I will have to play better than I did this week.”
His resurgence could put him in the frame for a first Ryder Cup call-up, but unfortunately for him, selectors will only count points from this season.
“I haven’t got any points from the fall and they’ve kind of hamstrung me there a little bit, the committee doesn’t feel those tournaments mean enough towards points. I feel a little bitterness towards that but it’s their call not mine.
“I’m not going to worry about Ryder Cup, I’ve two other goals to get into the top 10 and get back into the Tour Championship. If those two things happen, I’ll more than likely have enough points to get in the Ryder Cup. Obviously it would be amazing to play for my country but it’s too far away to think about and there are a lot of tournaments before then, so we’ll see.”
