Eaks aims for 3rd title at Greater Hickory Classic
September 17, 2009
CONOVER, N.C. (AP)—R.W. Eaks admits he’s had a terrible year on the PGAChampions Tour.
The good news is he’s the two-time defending champion heading into theGreater Hickory Classic, which begins Friday on the Rock Barn Golf and Spacourse.
“I’ve absolutely played awful this year, there’s no bones about it,” Eakssaid. “My confidence is probably at a low, but you never know. The juices mayflow this week and good things will happen.”
Eaks has battled knee, back and muscle problems this year after winning fourtimes and posting more than $2.4 million in earnings the last two seasons on thetour.
His only top-10 finish this year came in March in the Dominican Republic,and he’s had to withdraw from three tournaments.
Eaks said since using an herbal remedy for several months, his stamina andplay has improved.
He was under par for three consecutive rounds and finish tied for 20th onAug. 30 in Snoqualmie, Wash. He added two more under-par rounds before closingwith a 75 last week in Pebble Beach, Calif.
“I’m on some exotic root from Peru,” the 57-year-old Eaks said. “I don’tknow how to explain it, but it’s eating away the bone spurs in my knees.”
Eaks said he had to change his swing because of the bone spurs.
“Now that my knees are better, I’m trying to go back to what I used todo,” he said. “Everything’s in transition right now.”
But Eaks has enjoyed success on the Robert Trent Jones course. He finishedsecond to Andy Bean in 2006, set the tournament record with a 17-under 199 in2007 and came within a stroke of tying the mark last year. Eaks closed with a1-under 71 in windy conditions for a four-stroke victory over Tom Jenkins andTom Kite.
The Greater Hickory Classic also gives Fred Funk an opening to increase hislead in the Charles Schwab Cup standings.
Funk enters the tournament with a 57-point lead over Loren Roberts, who isskipping the event. Four-time winner and money leader Bernhard Langer—adistant third in the standings—is defending his title in a European seniorevent.
“I got off to a slow start because of a staph infection in my right knee,”said Funk, who last month won his first title of the year. “I didn’t even knowif I would be playing this year at all, much less play at a high level.
“But this year has been very satisfying. This is a big opportunity for me,because Loren isn’t here. He’s been playing phenomenally well, so with himtaking a week off, it’d be great if I can take advantage of it.”
However, the players will have to deal with an old nemesis at Rock Barn—the weather. Nearly a half inch of rain has fallen this week, and tournamentofficials say the forecast calls for a 50 percent chance of showers over thenext three days.
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