	products recent interviews FastScripts archive about ASAP Sports

Our Clients:

Browse by Sport

Find us on

Subscribe to RSS

Click to go to
Asaptext.com

View our
e-Brochure

U.S. SENIOR OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

July 31, 2004

Pete Oakley

ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI

Q. Can you go through the birdies and bogeys.

PETE OAKLEY: Sure. I know I had -- I made some birdies today. Let's see, I birdied 2, 4, 8, 11, 13, 16 and 17, so that's, what, seven birdies and two birdies, 5-under.

Q. That was quite a turnaround.

PETE OAKLEY: Oh, man. All I really wanted to do was -- after shooting 76, in hopes of making the cut, I knew I had to shoot even par. All I was shooting for today was to shoot even par, hopefully so I could make the cut. I figured the cut would be about where I was, at 5 over. Gosh, I just played so good. I just really played good today. This was like my second round at Portrush. I made seven birdies in the second round at Portrush, shot 4-under par there.

To shoot 66 after shooting a 76 the first round, I'm still pinching myself. I do a lot of pinching here lately, especially today. I'm surprising myself. That's a good score obviously.

You know, I just played well, drove it in the fairway all day long. I don't think I missed a fairway. I hit reasonably good iron shots and putted -- just putted great. What can I say? Seven birdies, two bogeys, 66. I'm tickled to death and pinching myself again.

Q. (Inaudible).

PETE OAKLEY: I started on the back nine, and on No. 12 I had about a -- it had to be 35 feet down the sliding board. I knew it was fast, and I just wanted to two-putt and get it close. It seemed like it took five minutes for the ball to get to the hole, but it trickled right in the center and that got me going. I made a couple more birdies on that side. I had a really nice back nine, shot 32. Four birdies and a bogey on the back nine, and then kept it going on the front.

I'm just playing one stroke at a time, one shot at a time and did very well, like they always say when you play well.

Q. (Inaudible).

PETE OAKLEY: Well, the greens are so good here that a 30-footer feels like a 10-footer at Portrush. The greens at Portrush were not nearly as manicured as these are. If you can read the greens here, you ought to be able to make some putts, if you feel like your confidence level is up, and mine was, so I'm rolling it pretty good, and I made a lot of them today.

Q. Do you think there was a little jet lag on Thursday still?

PETE OAKLEY: I'm making up at 2:00 o'clock every morning. Since I've been here, I'm waking up at 2:00 o'clock. Even if I go to bed at 11:00, I wake up at 2:00 o'clock and try to pray myself back to sleep, and it works.

I've been getting reasonably good sleep, and I was bushed after today, though. I was really feeling it coming down the stretch. I drank a lot of water. You know you're perspiring a lot when you drink gallons of water and you don't have to use one of the port-a-potties. I was feeling it today. I'm a little bit worried about 36 holes tomorrow if it's like this, but, hey, I'm a spry 55-year-old, so I'll hopefully keep the water coming tomorrow and play some more good scores, shoot some more good scores.

Q. When else have you played 36?

PETE OAKLEY: I've played 36 holes frequently, but I haven't walked 36 holes for quite some time. The U.S. Open qualifiers were when we were under 50. It's going to be tough, particularly if it's like this. To me, it was hot, and I was feeling it. I've had a little bit of a heart condition where my heart gets arrhythmia, beats a little bit more than it should on occasion, and I was feeling that out there. I had to keep my -- my caddie was great and gave me a bag of ice and put it around my neck and my face. You cool yourself down, your heartbeat goes down, so it worked. I might have to bring out the beta blockers tomorrow.

Q. Do you take medication for the arrhythmia?

PETE OAKLEY: He told me I can take a beta blocker because it slows your heart down, but I haven't really been taking them unless I'm feeling some flutters. I'll have some in the bag tomorrow.

Q. Would you hesitate to withdraw tomorrow if you felt like your body was getting too tired?

PETE OAKLEY: I guarantee I'll start off playing, but if I start feeling really nauseous and my heart is beating through my chest, then I'll retire, but I don't foresee that happening. I'm getting more and more un-jetlagged as I go on.

Q. (Inaudible).

PETE OAKLEY: Suddenly I'm even par, but I know the score -- somebody is going to shoot the lights out here because this course is primed for being a good score shot. I shot 66 today, so I'm sure that the leaders will continue shooting good scores. What's low?

Q. 7-under right now, so 66, 67 tomorrow --

PETE OAKLEY: If I keep playing like I did today, I'll jump in there and get within the Top 10 maybe. I'm just tickled to be here for the full tournament to be honest with you. I'm very grateful to have made the cut after winning at Portrush. I had a little bit of apprehension of playing well and then shooting 1,000 the very next tournament and looking kind of foolish, but now I'm pretty strong. I shot 66, so I feel like --

Q. A little validation?

PETE OAKLEY: A very good word.

Q. What's the sense of what it's been like back at your club in Delaware since you've won?

PETE OAKLEY: Everybody has been happy for me and crying for me and wishing me the best. I never knew I had so many friends. I am just really enjoying this. I know the golf in Delaware is getting a jolt because people at least know that we play golf in Delaware. My golf course is putting a banner out for me, and I know somebody said -- when I was talking to our head professional there, a gentleman said, "I'm going to play the Rookery instead of Baywood Greens because Pete Oakley won the British Senior Open, so it's got to increase business, I'm hoping.

Q. What's the greens fee at your course?

PETE OAKLEY: We're a $60, 18 holes with a cart, and it's really a bargain. It's all bent grass greens and tees and fairways. It's really a nice golf course. Nothing like this one or as difficult as this one. It's golfer friendly, so everybody can play, and when they come off, they'll feel comfortable and have shot their handicap or better.

Q. What's your plan after this event for the year?

PETE OAKLEY: I'm going to Minneapolis to play in my first Champions Tour event, and then I'm going home after that, and I'm going to continue playing the Champions Tour. I have a year's grace to play it, and I'm certainly going to take advantage of that. I'd be foolish not to. I have a five-year exemption on the European Senior Tour as a result of my victory at Portrush, so I'm going to be playing golf it looks like until I'm 60. Hopefully it'll be on the Champions Tour or continue to be on the Champions Tour.

End of FastScripts.

About ASAP Sports • FastScripts Archive • Recent Interviews • Captioning • Upcoming Events • Contact Us
FastScripts | Events Covered | Our Clients | Other Services | ASAP in the News | Site Map | Job Opportunities | Links

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297