FBR was the golf undercard to a great Super Bowl

All Kenny Perry had to do was par the final hole at the TPC Scottsdale Stadium Course, and I wouldn’t have missed the beginning of the Super Bowl. Of course, he bogeyed 18, then finally defeated Charley Hoffman on the third playoff hole to win the FBR Open.

I can only wonder how many fans were still tuned in when Perry drained a 22-footer for birdie to claim the crown. By then, the Steelers already had a touchdown overturned by review and had to settle for a 3-0 lead. When Perry’s putt dropped, there was 9:45 left in the first quarter at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fla.

And although it seemed nobody wanted to win the FBR, it was anything but boring. No fewer than four players had a chance coming down to the last couple of holes.

And there’s nothing like seeing the best pucker up under pressure. Sunday’s final few holes showed that these guys are not only good, but also human. Perry hit consecutive tee shots into the fairway bunker on the final hole and the first playoff hole, also on 18, and bogeyed it both times. And Hoffman, who obviously also bogeyed the first playoff hole, looked like the only way he would win in OT was if he holed out from the fairway because his putting stroke in the extra period was starting to resemble mine, it appeared.

A couple of guys who didn’t pucker up were Ben Roethlisberger and Kurt Warner. Man, those guys turned it up at the end.

Anyway, as it turned out, a pretty good day of sports on Sunday. Forget the six-hour pregame on NBC, the FBR was a better appetizer. I loved the Sobe Lifewater 3-D commercial,too, and the Steelers’ last-minute thriller over the game Cardinals might have topped last year’s upset by the Giants over the then-undefeated Patriots.

Now those guys were good.