John Parry identifies biggest challenge in America as he prepares for PGA Championship challenge
John Parry says his experiences playing in America over the last few months have made him better equipped to tackle the PGA Championship for only the second time in his career this week.
As a testament to the late career resurgence the 39-year-old from Harrogate has enjoyed this will be the third major out of the last five he has contested – having previously only played in three before his PGA debut at Quail Hollow last year.
Where he was once a rabbit stuck in the headlights at the game’s biggest events, now he is a fully-fledged member of the PGA Tour and based out in America he has rocked up at Aronimink feeling like he belongs.
“It’s good being out there now because it’s less of a shock when you get to these major events,” said Parry, whose 16th-place finish at last year’s Open was part of a successful year on the DP World Tour that punched his ticket to America.
“When you play Wentworth that feels like a big event, and it’s a big leap from what you’re used to playing in Europe and on the DP World Tour.
“But in America for the majors, that leap isn’t as big, so that should hopefully be a positive this week.
“This (career renaissance) is something I never thought would happen. When you get to my age you sort of think that chance has been and gone, but I’m really enjoying it and just trying to enjoy every moment and hopefully it continues.”
Parry is certainly making a good fist of his first season on the PGA Tour.
He has made the cut in every one of the 11 events he has played, his best finish being a tie for eighth in Puerto Rico and the most recent, 31st at last week’s Myrtle Beach Classic in South Carolina.
A hallmark of his season so far is starting well and figuring on early leaderboards before falling away over the weekend.
Nevertheless, he sits in a relatively healthy 85th place in the FedEx Cup standings, 15 places adrift of the top 70 that make the play-offs in August, but 15 spots better off than being outside the top 100, which would mean a scramble from September to November trying to secure a second season in the big league.
“I don’t massively study the points and worry what I’m playing for, I’m just trying to play good golf,” Parry told The Yorkshire Post.
“I’m either going to be good enough or I’m not, that’s the theory I’m working to. Try and do what you can and see where you sit at the end of it. Obviously if you’re getting close the last couple of weeks and you need a result or two, then it’s worth looking. If you need a top five it’s going to affect the way you approach it.”
Even as he approaches his forties, currently enjoying the best spell of his career sparked by four wins (three on the Challenge Tour, one on the DP World Tour) in 2024, he is still learning.
Like what makes the PGA Tour that much harder than his home circuit.
“There’s more strength in depth is the best way to look at it,” said Parry.
“There’s certain aspects that are much tougher, I’ve been picking up things I need to get better at and just trying to adapt to that.
“But the difficulty is the stuff you need to work on you’re doing it as you go, which is tricky.
“Most of it is the short game, these guys are phenomenal around the greens.
“That’s been the biggest leaning curve. Putting is trickier but I feel as though I’ve got the hang of it because the majority of greens, while they might be different grasses week to week, are the same speeds so you can keep your eye in.
“But chipping is not like Europe or England, it’s a huge difference and that’s been the biggest shock for me and the hardest thing to get your head around, but I’m getting there.”
Parry, who tees off alongside Andrew Novak and Jordan Gumberg from the first hole at 5.15pm UK time on Thursday, is one of four Yorkshiremen in the field for the second major.
Sheffield’s Fitzpatrick brothers are among world golf’s form players with Matt having won three times since March and Alex twice.
And they are joined by Northallerton’s Dan Brown, who like Parry qualified to play on the PGA Tour this year, but is debuting at the PGA and playing in only his third major.