U.S. SENIOR OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

July 11, 1999

Hale Irwin

HALE IRWIN: Well, I think the only thing I have ever asked is to have a chance, and I certainly had a chance. The game just wasn't there. It hasn't been there really all week. It has been sort of smoke and mirrors, you might say. Of all the times to have the putting go south, this was one of the days. I think I feasted a couple of weeks ago. Now after eating the feast, now I have got to clean the dishes. Disappointed, yes. I am happy for Dave. He played a very, very good round today. And for Ed Dougherty, who just played his guts out, I feel some other for him. That is golf, and we will be back at it hopefully again next year and try one more time.

HALE IRWIN: If you say so.

HALE IRWIN: I don't care what other people shoot. I just played badly. Had I played my game, maybe I would have had the 68, the score might have been different. I didn't. He did. Congratulations to him. I think I am going to step out of the golf scene for a few days here and not even think about it, much less play it. I need a rest. I really think that the game I had a couple of weeks ago at the Ford Seniors I just played at the peak of everything and it just -- you get on the downside of that high and unfortunately it was this week.

HALE IRWIN: I tell you, you just can't understand or appreciate as the players do and we go week to week to week and we see all sorts of different tournaments and different communities that support those tournaments and this has been an absolute delight to be a part of this. I think to a player, to a man, we are all appreciative with everything the Des Moines people have done and the Des Moines Country Club and hospitality, it has been absolutely fantastic. Thank to all of you for helping us. I was my worst enemy. My concentration and focus was just not sharp. As much as I wanted it to be -- after the birdie at first hole I thought we got something going here, but couldn't follow it up with the goods shots. Missed good birdie opportunities at 6, 8 and 9, bogeyed 10, you know the middle holes just doomed me. I just got too far behind and just wasn't the quality of shots and certainly wasn't putting as you witnessed those last few putts. I just couldn't never get it going. The 3-putt at 14 was just -- bogeyed 14, 17 and 18. I think I will be ready to get in the locker room and go home. Thank you.