A win at the FBR Open would mean the world to Purdy

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Ted Purdy shot into contention in his hometown on Saturday with a 6-under 65.

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- It's been 12 years since Tiger Woods rattled the cage at the TPC Scottsdale's infamous par-3 16th hole, where he recorded a hole-in-one now dubbed the "modern day shot heard 'round the world.''

Being a Phoenix kid who played golf for the University of Arizona, Ted Purdy is well aware of that storied piece of FBR Open history. That's why he got a little carried away during Saturday's third round of the tournament, when his sand wedge from 123 yards at the 16th just missed the cup for an ace.

"I wish it would have gone in,'' said Purdy, who waved an Arizona Cardinals banner from the tee there to the green, then tapped in from 9 inches as the crowd never stopped roaring.

That kick-in birdie helped move Purdy to three shots off the lead held by Kenny Perry going into Sunday's final round. Purdy stands at 9-under-par 204 following a 65, which tied Geoff Ogilvy for the day's best round.

"I remember Tiger said you have to be focused when you play that (16th) hole, and that's all I was thinking: stay focused,'' said Purdy of his moment in the sun. "Seriously, that would have been the highlight of my career.''

Asked if he might be forgetting about the 2005 HP Byron Nelson Championship, the good-natured Purdy just smiled.

"Yeah, that works, too,'' blushed the 35-year-old veteran of his one and only win in eight years on the PGA TOUR.

Excuse Purdy, who came through all three stages of PGA TOUR Qualifying School last fall to regain his card, if he got a little carried away there. After all, the FBR Open is a tournament he has, "dreamed about winning all of my life.''

Even though there is some stiff competition to overcome Sunday, proven PGA TOUR winners like Perry, Charley Hoffman, Brian Gay, Matt Kuchar, Geoff Ogilvy, Jeff Maggert and David Toms, Purdy is sticking to the advice of his sports psychologist, Dr. Bob Rotella, with some very positive thinking.

"I was fortunate. I made a 12-footer on the last hole, the 108th hole of the final stage (of q-school), to be sitting here right now,'' Purdy said. "When I make that putt tomorrow to win the Phoenix Open, that won't be the biggest putt I've ever made. It'll be the one I made in December (at q-school), because without that putt I wouldn't be here today.''

Once again, excuse Purdy for calling the FBR Open the Phoenix Open. It's just that Phoenix Open was the official title of the event for 70-some years -- the title Purdy grew up on when he was a kid at Moon Valley Country Club, the next-door neighbor to PING CEO John Solheim, whose clubs he still plays today.

That life-long tenure in the Valley of the Sun also explains partially why Purdy got a sponsor's exemption into this tournament from the Thunderbirds, the civic organization that sponsors the FBR Open. That and he does a lot of charity work for the local community through the Stepping Stone Foundation, which helps out inner-city families.

"My number (out of q-school) wouldn't have been good enough (to get in the field), so I'm very grateful just to be here,'' he said. "I hit the ball well, I putted well, and I hit it about six inches on 16, so there you go.''

Told that ShotLink officially measured the near-miss at No. 16 at nine inches, Purdy, very gracefully, stood corrected again.

"Okay, nine inches,'' he said with an oh-shucks grin.

Even though his career has been a roller coaster since he captured the HP Byron Nelson Championship four years ago, including two trips the past two years to q-school, Purdy always seems to be in a jovial mood. A lot of that he credits to Rotella, who has helped him see the glass half full, as well as Zach Johnson's putting coach Pat O'Brien, who in the off-season changed everything about the way Purdy was rolling the ball -- stance, posture, alignment and length of putter.

"Now I'm putting just fabulously,'' Purdy said. "I've never putted this well in my life.''

The proof is in the stats, as last year he ended up No. 191 in putting and this week he is in a tie for 17th. The result has been a bundle of birdies and only two bogeys in his last 39 holes.

Asked to assess his career since winning the HP Byron Nelson Championship, Purdy chuckled.

"It hasn't been anything to talk about,'' he said in a serious tone. "In 2005 I finished 20-something on the money list (No. 24), was doing great -- my high World Ranking at 64. (Today) I'm like 500-something (in the world rankings).''

Again, Purdy was laughing at himself, and for the record he is actually No. 726. But, hey, who's counting?

That all could change drastically Sunday if Purdy's premonition comes true. It certainly would be a fitting parlay should his Arizona Cardinals also win the Super Bowl. All week long Purdy has been greeted like a rock star because his PING hat also is adorned with a Cardinals logo that his son, Sam, glued to the bill.

"The NFL might not approve of (the hat), but I think PING would like it,'' he said. "Everybody seems to love it. They want to buy it.

"All I can say is, being born and raised in Arizona, GO CARDS!''

As part of a promotion today, the Thunderbirds have announced that anyone who wears Cardinals red will get in free. Purdy guaranteed he'll be wearing those colors -- "Yes, sir-ee!''

It's a nice gesture, even if you do get the feeling that Ted Purdy is thinking more along the lines of another player who wears red on Sunday.