DU MAURIER CLASSIC

July 29, 1999

A.J. Eathorne

A.J. EATHORNE: I am in a lot of pain. It was too much in a short period of time. By about the 6th or 7th hole, I figured out kind of a breathing rhythm thing where I could breathe in on the backswing and breathe out, kind of ended up sounding like Monica Seles at impact. I don't know if anybody heard it. Seemed to work. I think that is the plan for tomorrow. My coach Dean was on the bag this week, and he said it sounded like it was a little bit of a Lamaze class out there: Breathe in, breathe out. Okay. Oh! Okay. So whatever works, I figured it out on the backside, managed to get a couple of birdies. But I think we will just have to apply the same for tomorrow.

A.J. EATHORNE: I am not one to give up. It takes a lot for me to give up at any one time. I knew there was something in there that I could pull out and get through, and I guess putting forth the challenge to me. And I feel I have conquered it somewhat, being able to shoot 6-over on the front and then even on the back. I am just looking to maybe improve that a bit tomorrow.

A.J. EATHORNE: I was more thinking: What are you doing? It shouldn't hurt this much. Or there has got to be something you can do, because we had worked on a few things yesterday in the trailer that strengthening the muscles and in a certain way that it won't hurt too much. And I am trying to relax with the hands and the arms and let them go through. But I think on the 3rd hole I was still trying to figure out how to get it in the fairway -- kept going into the rough, and beating myself up really. I don't know, I think I had a few moments there where I thought: Oh, I have got to pull out of everything right now. I should pull out. Then there is always the other part on my right shoulder saying: No, it is okay. You've got to. You can come back from this, no problem. I think he won -- that side one.

A.J. EATHORNE: This just make me more. That way I get to continue on and pursue other aspects of professional golf. I mean, going out and meeting more people in the women's clinics or maybe at tournaments or with juniors, that makes me hungry to give them my knowledge that I have right now and being able to spread it through to them. That is a huge opportunity for me. I guess I could say I like to talk; that is a great way to share what I have.

A.J. EATHORNE: Yeah, a lot of my friends are a little shocked by it. But I don't know, I guess I am lucky. I have had a lot of good things happen to me the last year or so and I guess it came with hard work and I believe that I had a good attitude and good goals setting in order to get there. So I just need to continue that and maybe another 14 months I will be that much better. So I just keep moving in that direction.

A.J. EATHORNE: I have got great agents. They are wonderful. (laughs). They sell the good part of me. No, I am quite happy with it. They are definitely companies that I would want to associate with no matter what, as far as clothing, Roots Golf, I have always worn Roots clothing. Ping clubs, I have always played Ping. They are kind of natural -- ClubLink is the next step, I guess, in my career that I can expand on not only play golf, but teach it and be part of a growing industry. So everything is kind of natural. I just happened to be there at the right time and be involved with some really big companies.

A.J. EATHORNE: The Roots thing?

A.J. EATHORNE: Kind of like a test dummy, I guess you could say. Does this fit? No it doesn't. It is good, it gives them an opportunity to try something out for a year; whereas they -- in another year or two, we will say, okay, we have tried that out; we have tried that style and we know it works. It was good for me. It was good for them.

A.J. EATHORNE: For this year we are putting it on my, I think, left sleeve and for next year we will have it on the hat, the front location and the bag. And, the bag this year too.

A.J. EATHORNE: Yes, I need a break. I am taking next week off and not quite sure about the British, but I will see in the next couple of days how I feel.

A.J. EATHORNE: It is a totally different injury, I think. I know what mine is. It is a lot of muscles and just needs rest, for them to settle down. It is sort of one spasm after another through the upper back and lower back right now. I think another a week or two off and some intense therapy will knock that out and I will be back.

A.J. EATHORNE: Oh, yeah. No problem. It is fighting -- the two are fighting right now, but I think the mental part is winning.

A.J. EATHORNE: (laughs).