Ex-Moc standout Travis Perkins finding success on PGA Tour as caddy

Thirteen years removed from earning his PGA Tour card as a player, former Florida Southern All-American Travis Perkins is enjoying consistent success on the tour in a totally different role – as a caddy for rising American star Sam Burns.

Perkins, who grew up just north of Columbus, Ohio, was recruited to Florida Southern by then-new head coach Doug Gordin, a fellow native of Ohio and graduate of Ohio Wesleyan University.

“It all started when Charlie (Matlock) began recruiting me,” Perkins said. “When he retired, coach Gordin took over. I won this event in Columbus — that’s when I really got their attention. I think I visited the school in early January, and it was a done deal. I knew I wanted to be in Florida.”

Perkins arrived in Lakeland during the fall of 1995 and immediately played a significant role for the Mocs. In his freshman year, Perkins finished top-10 at the Sunshine State Conference Tournament, won the NCAA Regional with a 5-under tally, and finished inside the top-40 at nationals to help the Mocs win the school’s eighth NCAA National Championship, the first of six during Gordin’s hall of fame career.

Perkins would go on to play an integral role during the Mocs most successful run of national championships, earning three titles during his four years of eligibility. Perkins also placed inside the top 10 of the NCAA tournament as an individual both his junior and senior years, earning him All-American honors, and finished his distinguished career with a scoring average of 74.91. Not surprisingly, following graduation, Perkins decided to join the professional ranks.

Like so many great collegiate golfers, however, immediate success didn’t transpire at the next level for Perkins. Despite making the final stage of Nationwide Tour qualifying in 2002, he only received conditional status, and spent most of the next few years on the now defunct Hooters Tour, including time on smaller tours as he chased his dream of earning a spot on the PGA.

Midway through 2005, Perkins started seeing some good results after starting to work with Lakeland native Gil Foushee, and the next 3 years Perkins enjoyed a consistent rise, culminating in his greatest playing achievement – earning his PGA Tour card for the 2008 season.

“I had had Web.com status before, but that was definitely the playing highlight for me. It was both an incredible and challenging experience to be out there, playing at that level.”

During the 2008 season, Perkins made 3 cuts, including a T61 at his hometown Memorial Tournament, an emotional high for the native Ohioan, but it wasn’t enough to maintain his status.

By 2011, Perkins found himself without status on any tour but had an offer to caddy for friend and PGA Tour player, Kris Blanks. Given all the ups and downs of the last decade, along with getting married and the hopes of starting a family, Perkins took him up on it.

“Kris really gave me my first opportunity, and to this day I’m still thankful for that,” Perkins said.

In July of 2011, Perkins found his way to the bag of D.A. Points, who was playing well at the time, and had already won his first PGA Tour event earlier that year at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. In March of 2013, Points and Perkins enjoyed their breakthrough together, winning at the Shell Houston Open, the inaugural victory for Perkins as a PGA Tour caddy.

“That really was my career highlight up to this point, being on the bag in Houston and winning by one," he said. "It was just an awesome experience.”

Over the next several years, Perkins would have success with a number of different players on Tour. Scotty Piercy enjoyed the strongest run of his career with Perkins on the bag, before Perkins moved on to caddie for PGA Tour veteran Brandt Snedeker, and later, up and comer Aaron Wise.

Recently, however, Perkins has found tremendous success with PGA tour rising star Sam Burns. Burns and Perkins won for the 2nd time this year on Sunday at the Sanderson Farms Championship at the Country Club of Jackson, following Burns’ inaugural tour victory in Tampa at the Valpsar Championship at Innisbrook.

“When we first got together, Sam was almost overly aggressive. He had all this talent – I mean, unbelievable talent, really, but I thought I could help him," Perkins said. "He has all the shots. He’s long, a great ball striker, and a great putter. He’s got everything. Now he’s coming into his own, you know, he’s fulfilling this incredible talent that we all know he has. I wanted this for him so badly. I’m so glad to see him have this success.”

That same sentiment goes for Perkins as well, who still has plenty of friends in Lakeland cheering for him.

“Travis is one of the most talented golfers I’ve ever had the privilege of playing with,” says former teammate Wayne Raath, now the General Manager of Lone Palm Golf Club. “He really knows the game. I’m not surprised he is so successful as a caddy. Great players need a caddy who is detailed and calculated with a strong work ethic. He has all of those. Bottom line -- he has everything to partner well with world class PGA Players.”

Perkins and Burns are back in action this week at the Shriners Children’s Open in Las Vegas.