INGERSOLL-RAND SENIOR TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP

November 3, 1999

Hale Irwin

HALE IRWIN: I didn't expect to be where we are right now. But The Dunes has been a great venue for us in the past. I'm pleased that they were able to use it once again. We could have been out there without a site, and so it's great for the Dunes to step in and become our location to play this year's championship. The success I've had here in the past, good vibes, very positive feeling coming here. This year itself has been one filled with probably more unexpected turns in the road than I anticipated. Certainly, some great highs and probably more lows than I would have expected considering the last several years. But, I really don't know what to make of the year, other than to call it a mixed bag. But, I think what I've been more anxious to do is get the year over, rather than winning tournaments. And therein lies some of the problems that I've had is that I've haven't been as focused as I needed to be and I'm ready for a break; put it that way.

HALE IRWIN: I don't know what other reason there would be. My family is in good spirits, they are great. I have some design work that's been very time-consuming, but just -- I've played a lot and considering the successes of the last three years, I need to break away from it and just try to enjoy what I haven't been able to over the last several seasons, and I'm building into this year over the next several months, more of an extended break than I've had in any year in the last three or four years.

HALE IRWIN: I will have played this year more events than I've played in several years. Now, I may cut back to what I have done in the last several, which is 22 last year. These are senior events -- 22 last year, and about the same the year before. This year will be 25. Those are official events. That doesn't count like next week's match play. But I'm going to try to cut back, maybe a couple more than that. But I'm just not playing in as many year-ending event. I'm not going to play in Diners Club. The other tournament I'll play in besides the match play will be the Father/Son. That's really not even a tournament. That's a great time and it won't be again until Hawaii and then maybe three or four weeks after that. So I'm going to have over the next three months, very little golf, which I need to do that.

HALE IRWIN: "Well, you should have been here last week." How often have we heard that refrain? Every time we come here. It's not something that any of us look forward to. It's difficult for everyone. I think the problems certainly lie in that it's certainly not an easy course to play in the cold. But it's so wet from yesterday's rain that there are a number of spots on the golf course, and from the hurricanes that have been coming through here. Instead of passing thunderstorms, passing hurricanes; it's been wet. The new hole at 18 is going to be a new dimension. It won't be different in terms of the cold. I don't like that. None of us do. So you deal with it, but it's something that we haven't had all year until, I guess last year was the last time I played in that kind of cold weather.

HALE IRWIN: That was yesterday. Yesterday was at least a 3- or 4-wood, and if you're a long hitter, maybe a 2-iron going in there. It's very soft in that fairway from the back tee. I don't mind that, but the problem lies is that you can't see that water. For a finishing hole, that will be extremely difficult. It's not as if you can lay up there in front. If you lay up, you've got to lay well back. I think the staff will be challenged to find the appropriate teeing position.

HALE IRWIN: I'm not getting into it I've forgotten what fair is a long time ago, but it will be challenging. But if the wind almost comes in, it will be behind us.

HALE IRWIN: I think. So I really do. I know that. If that doesn't make it any easier, oh, well, I know that now. I've been there done that and know how difficult it is. It's great, but it's almost like more mental stamina than physical stamina, but how much stamina can you put into it to keep going. I think that the year started sort of that way. I just didn't get -- from the great finish I had last year and they were just whiplashed right in the '98 or '99 season, and I really didn't get that break where I could just sort of letdown and get started right back up again. I sort of wasn't ready to start. I got started a little lopsided and I sort of corrected it during the spring and summer. And of late, it's just been -- I've sort of run out of steam.

HALE IRWIN: A little bit. Although I extend it over a greater period of time. In '85 is when I started my design company in 1985, and I had won the Memorial Tournament that year. And the following four years,'86, '87, '88 and '89 were very powerful years, primarily because I was a player all those years, and now I've opened a new dimension. And you've got 100% of you to give, and I was not giving as much to playing as I had before. So in 1990, the turnaround came and I said: Okay, I've got to take a little bit out and put more back into playing; so the year turned around. So there is something to be said for -- there's only this much of me to give. How much -- what pieces can you give and what pieces can you take away? That was sort of this year. It's sort of been over the last two or three months the same thing. I've got some very interesting projects in the works and it's taken a little bit away from me.

HALE IRWIN: No, we haven't exactly done that. Maybe a glass of tequila or something. But I think both of us would be ready to admit that the calibre of play that each pushed the other over the last several years, you just finally run out of steam. You get into over time, and you don't have your legs left and I think both of us, mine came back a little more quickly than it did Gil's. I think the shock of the whole year was Gil Morgan not winning until August. He's a great player. Why would that sort of happen? Well, I think it's because both of us have just, up to that final in the match play last year it sort of culminated at that point. I played spectacularly, and Gil didn't play all that well, and after that it's like the other shoe fell. We both had our slippers off and went to bed. And that happens. You can see it sometimes after a really good round. A guy might go out and have a course record and shoot very, very low. What does he do the next day? How do you follow that up? Can you do it again? Well, it's certainly conceivable. Are you in the same mental state? Are you ready to do the same thing? You want to, but are you ready to? It's sort of the same thing, except done over a longer period of time. And I think the push that Gil gave me and I think the push that I gave him affected us both the same way this year.

HALE IRWIN: Bruce told me he wasn't going to play so I know what he was going to play. He asked me about a month ago if I was going to play in Los Angeles, and I said no, because I wasn't. But I had some business in L.A. that some associates of mine from the west coast wanted to meet in L.A. they were going to be there, and I thought, well, I'm already there, I might as well play. And I'm sure he talked to Phil or Dave or somebody and found out I had entered and there he goes. I know what he was doing. (Laughter.)

HALE IRWIN: I think. So but the regular TOUR is, too. I've often felt we play too long the we don't have a time when we -- people say what do you to in the off-season? I go to bed and get up the next day and the season starts. That's not much of an off season. We do have a too long of a season. I've thought that for many years. Well, then some players will say, don't play. Then you get the sponsors people after you to play, and the pressure becomes greater to play, play and play. We are -- we are pushing the season on both ends, I think. This event, I'd love to see this played earlier. I'd like to see this event week or two or three weeks where we couldn't have worry about this. I'd to have it in January. That it wouldn't start as quickly if we could turn this thing into a 30-event TOUR or rather than a 35- or 40-events -- I wouldn't mind at all. But most of the players, the players at the top, are just going to play what, 22 to 28 events. You're not going to play them all other than Dana Quigley and Bruce Summerhays. They can have a 52-week schedule and would be fine with them. I admire their tenacity and longevity to do that, but many of us don't have that desire. But how do you tell a sponsor he's no longer invited, or how do you tell a tournament they are no longer wanted anymore? I don't think we're in any position to do that.

HALE IRWIN: Absolutely not. This is one that's sort of defines the year, if you wish. And if you're tired, you find a way to get energetic. If you're playing badly, you're really looking for -- I brought down a whole bunch of different clubs, different drivers, different putters. I'm still looking for that magic formula. If I was in that mindset, I wouldn't have brought them.

HALE IRWIN: Well, obviously, I knew he we were going to play there. Disappointed we may be, but the good part is the course, whether it was ready prior to the hurricane or not, we'll ever never know. It gives the full growing year now to really be in shape for next year. The maturity factor always helps in a golf course. The longer you can delay getting on it, the better the golf course will be. But as I said, The Dunes will be great for us. It's a nice golf course it has provided the a great venue for us. It may not have -- for the crowds it may not be as great with the finishing holes because it's a little tight around there. As a golf course to play, though, it's wonderful but the other aspects, parking, etc., It's difficult. But it wasn't designed to be that.

HALE IRWIN: The motivation is still there. That comes naturally to me. Certainly, I would like to end the year on a bright note, realizing that where my game was right here last year. This year it's not as great, (indicating), and I have bridged that gap. Whether I were to win this week or not is not going to make the year any worse or any better. Just for my own well-being, I'd love to play well and at least push that envelope, and at least start thinking of the 2000 campaign now with a little bit of rest. So I'm motivated to play this week, yes.

HALE IRWIN: I knew Payne like many of us knew Payne. I didn't know him that well when he was in Springfield. We certainly spent some time together. Tragedies happen all over the world, and when it happens close to you or somebody you know, then it brings it home. And I think for all of us, the travel and have families that are in similar situations that Payne is in, more or less, you feel the pain. You feel the grief. When I first heard about it, my first thought was for his family because that's my thought. If something were to happen to me, what my thoughts would be if it would be to my family, and that's where I think the greater suffering is. The memorial services and all that are great, but I think it's more for you are expression to the families. Payne was a good friend. The last time I had a visit with Payne was at Medinah this year in the locker room at the PGA Championship. We had a little conversation. Congratulating him on how well he played at behind Pinehurst, and just the two of us talking in the locker rooms at the lockers. Just a nice moment to remember. He lived in style. I'll remember Payne as he made a very positive impact in the game, his knickers and the way he played in Pinehurst, I'm talking about all of that, how serene, he was. He had a steadfast calm, even when he was hitting the ball in the rough, you could see he had a calmness there. You can learn from that.

HALE IRWIN: I hope so. Do you know something I don't? (Laughter.)

HALE IRWIN: This is all Cobra equipment. Just getting my pulse up there a little bit.

HALE IRWIN: I don't intend to. I've had too many good years with that you have is it. These are all modifications off of 10, like a 10-plus and a 10-minus. No, I hope to stay with Cobra for a long time.