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PGA ProfileCharlotte’s David Eger comes up big in first yearChampions Tour tournaments By: Bruce Sydney58-year oldDavid Egerhasn’t won allthat much on thePGA ChampionsTour, but onething has becomeclear…he lovesto play in inauguralevents. A very steady player, havingmissed only 3 cuts in over 115 eventssince 2005, Eger has three wins all comingin first year events.His latest win came in Biloxi, Mississippi,where he battled wind and rainto post a 3-under par 69 to capture the inauguralMississippi Gulf Resort Classic.His 11-under par 54-hole total was oneshotbetter than Tommy Armour, III, andthree better than Tom Kite."I had the mindset that we weregoing to play, and we were going to playin crappy weather again," Eger said, referringto Saturday's windy conditions."Fortunately, you know, I held it together."The win broke a 5-year losingdrought for the East Mecklenburg HighSchool graduate, who played collegiategolf at UNC-Chapel Hill and East Tenn.State, and was a welcome treat."It's been a long time coming," Egersaid after accepting the $240,000 winner'scheck, his first in 118 events. "Ayear or two go by after your previouswin, you don't know -- as the birthdayscontinue to fly by -- if you're ever goingto do this again."Eger’s two other Champions Tourwin came in first events, the 2003 MasterCard Classic, the first ChampionsTour event held in Mexico City, and the2005 Boeing Greater Seattle Classic.His 2010 tournament earnings topthe $350,000 mark, and places him 10thon the Champions Tour money list with5 top-25 finishes, and projects him tobetter his best year on the Senior Tour in2007 when he earned nearly $900,000with 9 top-ten and 16 top-25 finishes.“When I regained my playing cardin 2001 I had planned to play 5 or 6years on the Champions Tour, but Iguess I’m getting a little greedy”,said Eger after the Mississippi win.“I have been unbelievably lucky andvery fortunate to enjoy this success,it’s been a great ride and I want tocontinue to ride this bus for a whilelonger”.Eger turned pro in 1978, buthad very little success in 58 PGAevents earning less than $31,000with only one top-ten finish. Hequickly made a decision to stay withthe golf business, but not inside theropes as a player.He became a golf administrator,serving the PGA and the USGA inTournament Administration, Rulesand Competition positions for nearly15 years. His work however didn’tprevent Eger from playing and regaininghis amateur status, winningthe 1988 Mid-Amateur and the 1991North-South Amateur titles.He also played on three UnitedStates Walker Cup teams, and finishedin the US Amateur semifinals2-times. But the lure of the ChampionsTour at age 50 was too muchto resist.“I guess it took me 50-years todecide what I wanted to do with mylife, I’m a late bloomer”, said Eger.“Watching so many guys hit ballswhile I worked for the PGA helpedme know what I had to do to playwell as a pro again. Working withDavid Leadbetter and Jim Harveyhas been a strong reason I feel socomfortable with my golf swing.”With that comfort and the historyof first year tournament success,don’t bet against Charlotte’s own DavidEger to win again at first-time events atMontreal in July and South Korea inSeptember.28 - CAROLINA GOLF JOURNAL - SUMMER 2010 _____________________________________________________________________________