U.S. SENIOR OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

August 3, 2008

R.W. Eaks

FULLAUDIOINTERVIEW

Q. What kind of day was it?

R. W. EAKS: I had a nice day. I probably really shouldn't have played. I think I damaged my knees a little more. I was considering last night not playing, but I decided because I had so much family here, we'd give it a try, so hopefully I can recover in a couple of weeks.

Q. Do you think you need to take some significant time off?

R. W. EAKS: I'm pretty hurt, but we'll find out tomorrow. I've got a doctor's appointment tomorrow morning. We'll see what happens.

Q. On the whole much did it mean to you playing here in the U.S. Open?

R. W. EAKS: It would have been great if I could have played good. Like I said, it was great seeing my family and friends. I've seen guys I haven't seen since high school, so it was worth it to me.

Q. Did your family know you were hurt and try to talk you out of it and say don't play for us?

R. W. EAKS: I didn't tell them. My wife's the only one that knew. It's just something you kind of keep to yourself.

Q. How does it impact you? You say it was really hurting today.

R. W. EAKS: I can't hit any shots when the ball is below my feet. I had a couple easy iron shots, and I just couldn't get them on the green; and I actually made bogeys from those.

I can't get down far enough on the ball. And it really affects my putting, too, because I can't stand long enough to really concentrate over the ball.

Q. What is the most notable experience for you besides the golf this week ?

R. W. EAKS: I got lost. I never got off of Gold Camp Road and ended up in Cripple Creek. Like a 30-minute drive and it took us four hours, but it was a pretty sight. Saw some new country I haven't seen before.

Q. When was this?

R. W. EAKS: Saturday night.

Q. Play any blackjack while you were there?

R. W. EAKS: No. Headed back to Woodland Park. We got back about 10:00 that night.

Q. When do you think you hurt your knees the most? Was it yesterday?

R. W. EAKS: Yesterday on the last nine holes. They started really bothering me. But that goes with the territory, and I'm just going to have to play through the pain if I'm going to keep playing.

Gotta love those carts, man. I can't wait to get back in carts. But this is a great Open. I hope they get another one pretty soon. I think everybody was pleased with it. The fans were great here, and I think they deserve another one.

Q. What do you think people who watch this on TV, what do you think they learned about Colorado Springs this week?

R. W. EAKS: I think they can't wait to get here. Seeing those shots with the mountains in the background, and you know, the weather is just perfect this week. I think they'd want to see the sights.

Q. Overall would you consider the tournament to be a success?

R. W. EAKS: Look at the people here. I mean they're just starving for something like this. And you guys got the ladies' tournament here in three years. It'll probably be bigger than this.

Q. For us that don't travel with the Champions Tour, are the crowds bigger than normal?

R. W. EAKS: No. These are much bigger than anything we have. Yeah. Our biggest crowds usually around 16, 17, 18, mostly corporate stuff. I mean they support the tournaments really well, but nothing like this. This has been fantastic.

Q. With all that you've just said, does it fill you more with pride kind of being that this is where you grew up and things like that, knowing that the tournament was so well attended? Is that a pride thing for you?

R. W. EAKS: Well, I think that Colorado Springs, you know, having the Olympic Center here, it's a big town, and they're sports- minded.

I think that they deserve something like this instead of having to go to Castle Pines. I think that helped not having the tournament at Castle Pines anymore. I think it brought a lot of people down here to see what's going on.

Q. Do you wear a wrap or anything on your knees?

R. W. EAKS: No. When I wrap them up or wear braces it, seems to restrict my walking and hurt more anything else.

Q. Is it just bone-on-bone?

R. W. EAKS: Bone-on-bone. It's like a cart. It's all bone-on-bone in there.

Q. Looking forward, the rest of the season, what's your schedule going to be like? I guess you gotta find out what your knees are going to do.

R. W. EAKS: Well, I need to probably make another 130,000 probably to get in the top 30 so I'm exempt for next year. Probably going to do that. We'll see. If I can play more, I'd like to play every one of them, and I'll definitely play all the ones we can ride.

Q. When is the next walking one?

R. W. EAKS: Next tournament. Another major for us, the JELD-WYN, up in Bend, Oregon.

Q. What's the Boeing? Is that cart?

R. W. EAKS: Boeing is in Seattle. I can ride there.

Q. Will you play any more events where you have to walk?

R. W. EAKS: Probably. I'm pretty stubborn. You think I got bone-on-bone down here, you oughta see it up here, baby. It's solidified up there.

No. I just love playing golf. Doesn't matter if I'm hurt or healthy or what. I just love being out here and playing, because you never know when you're going to play good.

Q. Do you have anything else you're going to do in Colorado?

R. W. EAKS: Catching a plane. We got a couple hours before the plane leaves.

Q. If you feel you damaged it the pretty good, will you have regrets about it?

R. W. EAKS: I won't even tell anybody. I'll just keep playing. Gotta have an edge.

Q. But you wanted to play here.

R. W. EAKS: Oh, definitely. Gotta play. It's a golf tournament. Plus it's hometown, you gotta play.

Q. So you probably fully understand why Tiger played then?

R. W. EAKS: Has is a little different scenario than mine. He's setting history. I'm just trying to make a living. But I was glad he played. I love watching him play. I mean I watch him play all the time. It's great.