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SENIOR BRITISH OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

July 25, 2004

Pete Oakley

PORTRUSH, NORTHERN IRELAND

PETE OAKLEY: I'm still trying to rationalize at the moment. As I was using the facility, I was thinking to myself that my world is changing at the moment, at this very moment. I'm not used to all of this attention, but it certainly is rewarding and I'm very much excited and looking forward to what's going to happen to me the next year, actually.

Q. How were your nerves on the last?

PETE OAKLEY: I was in the bunker, but until I got in the bunker, and the bunker was I couldn't see the flag when I got in the bunker, I didn't think it was that difficult a shot when I stood there, but when I saw there was about a 9 foot wall in front of me and I could not see the flag, I wanted to make sure I got it out of the bunker. I knew it would come out. I was confident it would come out. I have confidence in my bunker play, and I was able to hit the shot I thought I was going to hit, came off and went farther past the hole than I was hoping. But I've been putting the ball very well also, this week, and just let what happened the entire week happen again, and I rode it right in and won.

Q. How far was it?

PETE OAKLEY: It was about 12 feet, I think, 12 foot range.

Q. What was your previous high finish?

PETE OAKLEY: I finished ninth in Wales tournament finished and I won like 23,000, I believe it was in that. I won the 1999 Club Pro Championship in America, and that was worth probably $25,000 or $26,000. But that's about it. I'm still trying to fathom 187,000 or whatever it is. What is it? $289,000? That's some cash. (Laughter.)

Q. Any idea what you'll do with it?

PETE OAKLEY: Boy, I can get out of debt. I can pay for my kids' education. A lot of things I can do. You've got me thinking now. But I'll probably call my broker at Morgan Stanley and get some good advice.

Q. Can you talk about 16?

PETE OAKLEY: Yeah, 16 has been my nemesis this week. I hit another bad drive on that hole today and was smart enough to chip out and put it on the green with a 5 iron and make a 5, which I was glad to have done.

And then it was there that I realized I was 5 under at the time and 2 under was the next best. So I was walked off the green with a two stroke lead, and that's the first time I really realized my position. Of course after 17, I realized I was one stroke into the lead and you saw what happened on 18, and I'm just so thankful. Thanking my Lord.

Q. Did you ever try to play on the regular tour?

PETE OAKLEY: Much younger days I did, I tried, I realized I wasn't up to snuff back in around 1973 or '74. I am smart enough to realize how good you have to be and I knew I wasn't even close at that time. And also, I had similar notions about the Senior Tour in the States after four years I tried to qualify there and got in the finals each time and didn't do that, finished like 30th, 40th each time. But I wasn't up to that caliber, either.

Since being over here and having my brother talk me into qualifying over here and go through that and qualifying, playing on the European Senior Tour has really helped a lot. I think it's really helped to kind of mature me into being a whole lot better player mentally than I was. I've been a club pro, I'm a member of the PGA of America for 24 years, and am I partner in a golf course venture. My partner and I designed a golf course and got investors together and built the golf course ourselves. It was really a lot of fun. I highly recommend building a golf course if you want to have some fun and move earth and see what happens after your own creation. It was fun.

Q. How was your brother involved

PETE OAKLEY: He talked me into qualifying for the European Senior Tour. In the final round of the European Senior Tour qualifying this past November, if a skulled 8 iron had not hit the pin and gone into the hole on the ninth hole as I was leaking oil like it was going out of style, I would not be here right now, probably. So I've been very much blessed and fortunate.

SIMON WILSON: What are your plans next week?

PETE OAKLEY: Looks like I'm going to try and figure out a way to get to Bellerive and play in the U.S. Senior Open. I think I'd be foolish I have a feeling that's what I'm going to do, but till I sit back and talk with my family and everything . I'm pretty sure they will probably say that would be the thing to do, also. I'm sure that's what I'll do.

Q. How many events have you played on the Champions Tour?

PETE OAKLEY: I have played in the PGA Seniors Championship and the USGA Senior Open and a couple of Senior Tour events, I think. But I'm playing those majors, I'm much better in the majors.

Q. Where is your family?

PETE OAKLEY: My son was with me caddying for me a couple of weeks ago. I have two sons who are both in college and they are 22 years old and 20 years old, and very much in their own worlds now. I would love to have them here and caddying and traveling with me, and maybe I will in the States. They are just a little bet skittish of traveling far distances. But I'm sure they are going to be made aware of what's coming in my life shortly, and they may re evaluate their skittishness.

Q. What's your schedule after Bellerive?

PETE OAKLEY: That's another thing I'm not 100% sure of. I know there's some events to play in on the PGA Senior Tour in the States, and I just don't know. I can't answer that one. There's a lot I'm going to be plotting out here in the next couple of days. Call me next two days two now.

Q. What did your brother say to you at the end?

PETE OAKLEY: Yeah, we embraced and cried on each other's shoulder and he was probably at least as happy for me as I was. His wife, Doris, and Christopher, likewise, so we all are just excited for this change in the Oakley family and looking forward to it.

SIMON WILSON: Pete, thanks very much. Congratulations.

End of FastScripts.

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