U.S. SENIOR OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

July 9, 1999

Dave Eichelberger

DAVE EICHELBERGER: Oh, it was pretty much the same as yesterday. Drove the ball well; was hitting it either on the green or right in the fringe or just short. I am trying to really make sure I don't take enough club to get over the green or off to the short side because you are in big trouble here if you are long and I have been short of the green a lot and putted up the hill which has been okay and that is kind of the plan I have been sticking and it has been working so far.

DAVE EICHELBERGER: Highlights. Both days the front nine I have been just kind of grinding pars. Yesterday I parred every hole. Today same thing only made about a 25-footer maybe on the 8th hole for a birdie. It was the only straight putt I have had all week. Pin was kind of in between two hills. It just looked like a trough going up from where I was; made that one. 11th hole birdied both days, was off beside the green and chipped close both times. Today I also, on 12, I had about 18- to 20-footer right behind the hole that I made. I 3-putted 13. Say 3-putt, I hit on the green and it backed off, you know, like this much in the short fringe and I putted up the hill and 3-putted on that hole. It was the only bogey today I really hit the 15th green in two and 2-putted for birdie. And then like the last three holes all hit short on -- well 16 and 17 hit short and came back and you know, chipped close for par. Then 18, I was just in the short fringe pin-high to the right. 2-putted from there.

DAVE EICHELBERGER: No, it didn't really seem -- seemed pretty much the same as it was yesterday. I didn't notice any difference.

DAVE EICHELBERGER: Just I feel really confident from the short distances I guess more than I do the longer ones. Just for some reason the feel is there here these two days. I have had days where it is -- I am out there; you can't make anything. But for one of the reasons I have yet to determined 40 years I am playing, sometimes it is there; sometimes it is not and it has been there so far.

DAVE EICHELBERGER: Yes.

DAVE EICHELBERGER: Yeah, I remember winning my first two matches and then got beat be John Lotz in the third round. That is about all I remember.

DAVE EICHELBERGER: At Wakonda. There was an article in the paper this morning that I think there is like four people, five here that were in that tournament.

DAVE EICHELBERGER: If he keeps playing like he is -- I mean, if he finishes 14-under for the tournament that is going to be really tough. You usually don't think that second round leader is going to really double their score. So you know, I don't know. I am just going to keep grinding along playing the same thing I have been playing and hope for the best.

DAVE EICHELBERGER: To me mostly the wind direction makes a difference as to what I am really trying to do with it off the tee. With the wind as -- boy, just right there in your power-house, where I kind of feel like it is kind of -- you are downwind and slightly right-to-left; then I really let it go. When it is more cornering into you or from the side or something like that, I am not quite as -- don't try to put as big a swing at it and I am really kind of steering it out there somewhat - when I am not just right downwind.

DAVE EICHELBERGER: Very enthusiastic. As big of crowds as I have seen in any senior golf tournament that I have played in. I think this is probably the biggest crowd I have played in front of. Very respectful. They clap for the good shots and don't do anything for the bad ones, so, they know the game.

DAVE EICHELBERGER: Oh, it would be the biggest thing I have ever done in golf at this point. Getting your name on a USGA trophy, I mean, to me, that is a pretty big deal, so it would be really big.