U.S. SENIOR OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

July 10, 1999

Dave Eichelberger

DAVE EICHELBERGER: Well, yeah I am kind of surprised that the scores were not any lower. I guess most of the low scores were early today. Guys in the back, I don't think -- well, I guess it was like Hale's group before anybody shot under par there. None of -- nobody in the last three or four groups, I don't think did. But it really wasn't playing any more difficult, I didn't think. I could just -- pressure of the end of the final two rounds coming to bear, I think, more than anything.

DAVE EICHELBERGER: Oh, yeah. Kind -- somewhat surprised you can shoot 73 and still be in the same position I was starting the day. I don't think that will be true tomorrow. Surely, it will take something under par, but we will see.

DAVE EICHELBERGER: Really, the first really bad swing I made all the tournament was on the 3rd hole. Pulled 8-iron into -- hit left of the green, then went in the water; made double-bogey there. And then just kind of tried to hang on and make pars, which I was able to do. And then knocked it on in two on No. 11. 2-putted for a birdie. Then hit it about two and a half, three feet at 12 for birdie. At that point, I was really back in good shape at 4-under and feeling great about the day. Then just kind of, once again, hit a bad shot going the other way. Lost it to the right there on 14, trying to cut a 7-iron in, and overcut it and made bogey. Then 15, I don't know what happened there. I was trying to -- had like 171 to lay-up to the top of the hill and was going into the wind, and hit a 6-iron and get up there. And it had gone all the way down to the bottom where -- really had a difficult pitch into the 15th green. Pitched over the back, and then took three to get down from really not a very difficult spot. So that was really -- that particular instance was something that kind of -- was throwing the shot away at that point. Then really the best putt of the day at 17 for birdie. So, you know, that got me back to where I am.

DAVE EICHELBERGER: Oh, 20 feet.

DAVE EICHELBERGER: 5-iron, 20 feet past the hole.

DAVE EICHELBERGER: Oh, let's see. Senior Opens at Pinehurst, I shot 69, 69 the last two days, to kind of come from back in the pack to maybe 12th or something. Then at Olympia Fields I was, I believe I was second place starting the last day, wound up finishing about 5th there at Olympia Fields. So those two have been the best.

DAVE EICHELBERGER: Not really. I was aware, looked like at one point he was, I think, 8, and best anybody else was two, maybe at that point. I am not sure. Somewhere close to that.

DAVE EICHELBERGER: No, we still had half a tournament to go at that point. So just kind of keep plucking along.

DAVE EICHELBERGER: Well, not really. In the past there have been times when I was playing at my best, if that had been an Open come along then I could have done well. But it just seems like when the Open has been around I have never been really on top of my game. There at Olympia Fields I was, I felt like I definitely had a chance to win that one and right here, just recently the last month I really haven't been playing that well at all; been struggling with everything all the way really as late as Wednesday here with the practice round really; didn't play well, but something started there Thursday morning just with the driver. I have been able to get a shot in play where I am playing with a driver that seems to be keeping me in the fairway and hitting a few good iron shots every now and then. Feel like I have got a pretty good chance at it now.

DAVE EICHELBERGER: I don't think it really affected that much. It was just a slightly different wind direction some of the holes were playing different, but all and all, really, I didn't feel like it was that much different than the other days, just about the same amount of wind and just a little different direction.

DAVE EICHELBERGER: Absolutely. Finishing with a birdie on 17 helped a lot. Like I say, I was just sorry I made those late two bogeys there on the front nine -- back nine, but all and all, I am pretty confident with my game; especially the driver, which has always been something I have had a little trouble with. So I am feeling good about tomorrow.

DAVE EICHELBERGER: Oh, yeah. Lots of patience and just try not to be discouraged by anything bad early. So hang in there.

DAVE EICHELBERGER: Well, that is okay if I play well. I mean, Bruce of course is a great guy to play with so that's really not anything one way or the other. If I had my druthers I'd rather be the man with the one-shot lead, I think, playing in that last group, just gives me one more little mistake or something you can make that the other guys don't have. I will take that lead when I can get it.