SENIOR PGA CHAMPIONSHIP

June 6, 2003

Seiji Ebihara

SEIJI EBIHARA: First of all, I want to say that it's an honor to be able to play in this kind of wonderful and tough golf course and every year I am looking forward to coming back here every year and play over and over again. Especially this year, Mr. Palmer, he was in the group right behind me and I was able to get an autograph from him on the tee shot at 14 and this is going to be my precious gift and I am going to bring it home as a souvenir. I was very lucky.

SEIJI EBIHARA: On the first hole I was able to use a 4-iron on the second shot and I was able to get it 3 meters -- I used a 4-iron on the second shot, got it about ten feet close to the hole. I was able to putt it in for a birdie. 2nd hole too I used a 4-iron, it went over twelve feet and I was able to get it in from there to make a birdie. 3rd hole I had three shots to get it on the green and I made two putts on the green which made it a bogey. On the 5th hole I used a 4-iron, got it to the right of the pole about 60 feet away and I was able to make a putt 60-foot putt to get a birdie from there. On the 7th hole made a three putts which made it a bogey. 11th hole I used a 6-iron on the second shot, made it to the left of the hole, about six feet away and made a putt. 12th hole, second shot I used a 5-iron, went over about ten feet, made the putt again to make a birdie. On the 13th hole I used an 8-iron. There was 13 feet more to go and I putt it, it went in, another birdie. After that hole I was on the tee shot of 14th hole and that's where I got autograph of Mr. Palmer. Because getting the autograph from Mr. Palmer I was able to make a good save pars from after that. The 18th hole was pretty tough too but I was able to make a par.

SEIJI EBIHARA: Yeah, I guess the autograph is more exciting to me. Last year I made a 65, to making a 66 didn't really catch my mind that much. But I am surprised.

SEIJI EBIHARA: Yes.

SEIJI EBIHARA: Maybe it's because every year this tournament the greens are just beautiful, the fairways are just beautiful, it is a tough course, but one thing on my mind is that if I can get it onto the fairway, I can get a good score, and the greens were pretty soft too, so it stops. Also because I was able to make a 27 last year it made me very famous and thank you very much.

SEIJI EBIHARA: I was his fan for a very long time. He's is about 20 years older than me, so I have been a fan all the time. And I didn't really have a chance to meet him before, but from this year I am able to get into the Tour over here in the States, so I was able to see him from far behind, but I never was able to get up so close as this time.

SEIJI EBIHARA: All he did was smile and said, okay. He was very glad that he said that. Am I the only one who asks for autograph on the tee box?

SEIJI EBIHARA: I am intending on getting a lot of them signed, I am having my wife put on a hat and getting everybody's autograph on so every time we go everywhere to different Tours, get signs from everybody. But I never actually thought about being asked for an autograph, so I don't know about that. But this hat is only for Mr. Palmer.

SEIJI EBIHARA: Of course.

SEIJI EBIHARA: Obviously all of the players at around my age, everybody looks at Mr. Palmer and it's not how he swings or how he putts or that kind of stuff, it is just his name, just Arnold Palmer is just so great and not only that, his way -- his offensive way of playing style, that was just great to everybody.

SEIJI EBIHARA: For about ten years I was a normal seed player in Japan, but when I turned 47 I had a back pain and I couldn't play anymore. But for three years without playing I was getting ready for the seniors, getting my back ready, getting it fixed and when I turned 50 I started to go on and play as a senior. And it's looking good.