Verplank puzzled by Perry's absence

SOUTHPORT (Reuters) - Five-times U.S. PGA Tour winner Scott Verplank is perplexed that fellow American Kenny Perry has opted to skip this week's British Open at Royal Birkdale.

Perry, the game's hottest player with three victories in his last five starts, has decided instead to compete at the lesser rated Milwaukee Championship in the United States.

"This is my favorite tournament in the world and every year I look forward to coming," former U.S. amateur champion Verplank told Reuters on Tuesday.

"I can't believe anyone would not want to come. Everybody's different but this is one of the four biggest tournaments in the world and the best to me, so I'd never turn down the chance to play it.

"Kenny's got his own agenda, I know. He's set it out: wanting to be on that Ryder Cup team. I guess he feels he's doing what he needs to do."

All year, Perry's top priority has been to qualify for the U.S. Ryder Cup team this September and he has based his entire playing schedule for the 2008 season on that goal.

His playoff victory at the John Deere Classic on Sunday lifted him to fourth in the Cup standings for Paul Azinger's squad at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky from September 19-21.

"I think he's got it locked up (his Ryder Cup place)," Verplank, 44, added. "But if I was a captain or a team mate, I'd rather have him over here playing against the guys we'll be playing against.

"I'll imagine he'll win this week, though, at the satellite tournament, so he'll be doing fine."

BIG RESULT

Verplank, unbeaten in the U.S. Ryder Cup defeat at the K Club in 2006, needs a big result this week to help him climb from his lowly 34th spot in the American standings.

He is relishing the chance to play at Birkdale for the first time and improve on his best British Open finish of tied for seventh at Royal Troon in 2004.

"It could be one of the most open Opens for many years because there's no really clear favorite like other times," Verplank said, referring to the absence this week of injured world number one Tiger Woods.

"I would imagine there'll be the same cast of characters as last year up there and I hope that will include me. This is my kind of golf. If I play like I know I can, I'd expect to be somewhere in the mix.

"Although this is the only course on the Open rota I haven't played, I have a lot of experience and I really love playing these kinds of courses," added the American, who is making his 12th British Open appearance.

"My driving accuracy and my putting have brightened up quite a bit in the last month and I've hit the ball straight for a number of years in a row.

"The wind here always plays a big part but I grew up in Dallas and I live in Oklahoma, two very windy places in the States. I can hit the ball low so I'm very optimistic."

Verplank has warmed up for Birkdale by playing several Scottish links, including St Andrews Old Course, with his 16-year-old son Scott Jnr.

(Editing by Mark Lamport-Stokes)