Kenny Perry's decision not to play the British Open - following on the heels of his earlier decision to skip U.S. Open qualifying - is drawing some criticism from a few of his peers:

Countryman Jim Furyk, who will likely be a team-mate of Perry in the US team for Valhalla, said he could not understand Perry's decision.

"To the best of my knowledge you can't win if you never play." he said. "You can't win on the couch.

"From a personal standpoint I'd have a very difficult time staying home when I had the opportunity to play in a major championship.

"He also made a decision not to play in the US Open and you would think that Torrey Pines would be right down his alley.

"But he says he never plays well there, doesn't like the course and decided not to."

Guess what, Jim: Perry says he never plays well in the British Open and doesn't like links courses, either. Or more to the point, doesn't like (British) links course weather. Windy, chilly, damp? Not for Kenny:

Perry, who has played only four Opens since his debut 17 years ago, has said he has no regrets over his no-show decision.

"I played Birkdale in '91, missed the cut there. My stroke average at the British Open is 76 point whatever," the world No. 16 said.

"I'm not good when it gets to 40 and 50 degrees (Fahrenheit) and 50 mile an hour winds. I'm a hot weather guy."

But Kenny's wrong about his British Open record.

Perry has played the British Open only five times in his career, in 1991, then not again until 2003. Then he played in '04, '05 and '06.

Perry makes it sound like he's stunk up the joint when he has played the Open Championship. And two of his five trips did result in missed cuts. But the other three were finishes of 8th, 11th and 16th. And his scoring average is nowhere near "76 point whatever":

• 2006: 73-74, mc
• 2005: 71-71-68-72, t11
• 2004: 69-70-73-72, t16
• 2003: 74-70-70-73, t8
• 1991: 73-76, mc

Does Perry really have the impression that his play in the British Open has been so poor? Or was he exaggerating for effect?

Hmmmm. I can't criticize Perry for playing the schedule that he wants to play (and it's hard to argue with that schedule when it's produced three wins in five weeks). That's his business (literally and figuratively). And nobody - including Kenny Perry - could have foreseen six or seven weeks ago, when he was making decisions about his schedule, that he'd be so hot right now.

But Justin Rose doesn't feel any compunction about criticizing Perry's decision:

"He's arguably the best player in the world right now (with Tiger Woods out injured) and I find it amazing he's not here," he said.

"His priority was obviously the Ryder Cup, but that's clearly signed, sealed and delivered, so this is a trip that wouldn't hurt his prospects.

"So it's strange. I couldn't imagine opting out of majors - it's what I want to judge myself on by the end of my career."

That's the one thing I wonder about with Perry's decision: Will Kenny look back on this period some day and say to himself, "What was I thinking?" He's 48 years old. He has 12 career victories. Perhaps he'll get another win or two (this season or before hitting the Champions Tour). But almost certainly, he'll never again have as good a chance as he does now at winning that major he hasn't won yet. And if Perry won a major, he'd get some Hall of Fame votes down the road. Without a major, none.