Ryder Cup over, Perry sets an even loftier goal

Perry's mother has blood cancer and is in an assisted-living facility. His wife's mother fell at a fast-food restaurant, breaking her knee cap and two vertebrae. Her mobility is so limited that the Perrys had to remodel her home - wheelchair ramps, adjustments in the bathroom and the showers - before she could be released from the hospital.

"Sandy has been redoing her house while I've been dealing with my dad, and my sisters have been taking care of my mom," Perry said. "We all have a lot going on."

If that's not enough, his daughter got married in the fall.

"If I can get my head back in the game and focus on my golf, I'll be OK," he said. "There's a lot of issues right now."

Whether he has surpassed his goals or not achieved enough is subject to debate.

Missing from his credentials is a major championship, and Perry has only had two chances. He was two shots out of the lead going into the final round of the 2003 British Open at Royal St. George's, only to close with a 73 to finish four behind Ben Curtis. The more memorable opportunity came at Valhalla in 1996.

Perry was on the verge of winning the PGA Championship until making a bogey on the 18th hole, then losing in a sudden-death playoff to Mark Brooks when Perry took four shots to reach the green.

"Only one I regret," Perry says.

Then again, this was a guy who had to borrow $5,000 from an elder at his church to pay for one last attempt at Q-school when Perry was 26 and had two children in diapers. He got his card and has never finished out of the top 100 on the money list, with a career-high $4.6 million last year pushing his totals to over $26 million.

What's the secret?

"Genetics," Perry said. "I don't work out. I don't really watch what I eat. I just play a lot of golf. I just play every day and usually stay with it and practice and hit a lot of balls. Until something breaks down on me, and I can't do that anymore, I still think I can be very competitive out here."

And yes, he plans to be on the PGA Tour longer than some might realize.

His three victories last year makes him exempt through 2012, when he is 52. He is No. 9 on the career money list, meaning he could be exempt for two more years after his eligibility ends.

"I'm a very streaky player - always have been," Perry said. "And if I catch fire somewhere in a streak of tournaments I've had success at, look out. I could put two more three more on the board."

That would put him closer to 20 career wins, a goal that might seem absurd to everyone but Perry.