KENNY PERRY WINS THE U.S. SENIOR OPEN!

Over the years, Kenny Perry has played a lot of golf in many different places.  Many of those places are, to those of us from Western Kentucky, quite exotic.  California, Florida, Scotland -- many of the world's greatest courses are a long way from I-24, both literally and culturally.

But this weekend, Kenny Perry found himself in Omaha, Nebraska, facing a course -- the Omaha Country Club -- that featured gentle hills, big deciduous trees, and bright, sunny skies -- just like home.  The temperature was close to 90 today, and the place was absolutely packed.  Nebraskans, like Kentuckians, are devoted sports fans, and they turned out in enormous numbers to see the first major championship ever to be played in the Cornhusker State.  I couldn't help thinking that Perry was playing in his backyard -- figuratively, if not literally.

And he responded with absolutely spectacular golf.  After Friday's second round, Perry was at even par -- 10 shots behind the leader, Michael Allen.  Perry then went out on Saturday and shot a 64 to move to 6-under par -- leaving him only two shots behind Allen, who shot a 2-over 72.  But today Perry was even better -- putting up a 7-under par 63.  He played the last 36 holes in 13-under par, and cruised home with a spectacular five-shot victory over Fred Funk.  (Allen shot another 72, and finished at 6 under).

When it was all over, Kenny Perry said it was the greatest round of golf he ever played.  "I can't explain why, after all these years -- here I am, almost 53 years old, and it all came together today."  He also credited a friend who sent him some passages from the Book of Proverbs to consider.

Perry, of course, never won a major on the regular tour -- he lost playoffs for the 1996 PGA and the 2009 Masters -- but he also never stopped trying, and never stopped improving.  Now he has won two Senior Majors in a row -- and has vaulted into consideration for Kentuckian of the Year.  All of us at the Heath Post are thrilled for him, and are so happy that he played the best round of his life on such a big stage.  And he has inspired us to keep trying, and to keep improving. That's exactly what sports heroes are supposed to do.