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American Morning

Driving for Life

Aired October 27, 2003 - 09:36   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: After finishing their round of play on Sunday in Sonoma, California, I had the chance to speak with Tom Watson and Bruce Edwards and asked what was going to happen with the winnings.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TOM WATSON, PROFESSIONAL GOLFER: That money, I'm going to help my buddy over here with his disease the best way I can. Bruce has ALS, Lou Gehrig's Disease. And what I'm going to be doing with the money is helping ALS research, as well as ALS patient services.

O'BRIEN: It has been, obviously, a tough year for both of you emotionally. You've been playing well. You've been playing really, really well. So to some people, I think that's a little bit surprising that you can play with such a, maybe a burden is the right way, an emotional burden. Or do you feel like you're inspired by Bruce's illness and that's helping you to play your best?

WATSON: Well, I'm sure if Bruce would talk right now he'd say hey, we're just carrying on as usual. When we're on the bag, it's business as usual, isn't it?

BRUCE EDWARDS, TOM WATSON'S CADDY: That's right.

O'BRIEN: And maybe he can't get the words out quite well, but you can write the numbers down, can't you? 158 and 17.

EDWARDS: Yes. I can't do that much anymore, but I write down.

WATSON: He writes down and shows me, and everything's fine.

O'BRIEN: So that's pretty much how you communicate when you're out on the course, because obviously, as we see, Bruce has a little bit of trouble talking, so he just keeps track, he shows you the numbers, he gives you the distances by writing everything down. Is that how it works?

WATSON: Well, he also helps me to read my putts, although this week we didn't do well in the putting department, but nobody did here in Sonoma. Everything went down the valley this week, and we weren't too good on that.

But you did read that putt at 16 perfect. Thanks.

O'BRIEN: So for someone who has supported you, and had your back for the last 27 years, do you feel now that Bruce has this very devastating illness, that this is your turn to support him?

WATSON: Well, it's not just my turn, but there's a lot of people involved in trying to support him. Marsha, his wife, has been absolutely a godsend as far as what she's been doing. Jeff Julian and Kim Julian. Jeff played the PGA tour for a few years, and he also contracted ALS, and Jeff and Kim have been instrumental in getting the word out about ALS and trying to get people involved to basically help fund for more research. Grants are needed for ALS research. And this is what we've been trying to -- we're trying to get that word out to everybody, as best we can.

O'BRIEN: I know that folks have been coming up to you, handing you checks, handing you money on the course, which has got to feel pretty good.

WATSON: It is. There's a lot of great compassion here in America. And I've seen it everywhere I've been. Bruce has seen it everywhere he's been, as well. And it's heartwarming, yet it's bittersweet. This disease has no known cure, and we need to find something fast.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

O'BRIEN: Our exclusive interview with Tom Watson and Bruce Edwards, which we did yesterday. If you'd like to help Tom Watson and Bruce Edwards in their fight against ALS, log on to their Web site, which is drivingforlife.org.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com







Aired October 27, 2003 - 09:36   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: After finishing their round of play on Sunday in Sonoma, California, I had the chance to speak with Tom Watson and Bruce Edwards and asked what was going to happen with the winnings.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TOM WATSON, PROFESSIONAL GOLFER: That money, I'm going to help my buddy over here with his disease the best way I can. Bruce has ALS, Lou Gehrig's Disease. And what I'm going to be doing with the money is helping ALS research, as well as ALS patient services.

O'BRIEN: It has been, obviously, a tough year for both of you emotionally. You've been playing well. You've been playing really, really well. So to some people, I think that's a little bit surprising that you can play with such a, maybe a burden is the right way, an emotional burden. Or do you feel like you're inspired by Bruce's illness and that's helping you to play your best?

WATSON: Well, I'm sure if Bruce would talk right now he'd say hey, we're just carrying on as usual. When we're on the bag, it's business as usual, isn't it?

BRUCE EDWARDS, TOM WATSON'S CADDY: That's right.

O'BRIEN: And maybe he can't get the words out quite well, but you can write the numbers down, can't you? 158 and 17.

EDWARDS: Yes. I can't do that much anymore, but I write down.

WATSON: He writes down and shows me, and everything's fine.

O'BRIEN: So that's pretty much how you communicate when you're out on the course, because obviously, as we see, Bruce has a little bit of trouble talking, so he just keeps track, he shows you the numbers, he gives you the distances by writing everything down. Is that how it works?

WATSON: Well, he also helps me to read my putts, although this week we didn't do well in the putting department, but nobody did here in Sonoma. Everything went down the valley this week, and we weren't too good on that.

But you did read that putt at 16 perfect. Thanks.

O'BRIEN: So for someone who has supported you, and had your back for the last 27 years, do you feel now that Bruce has this very devastating illness, that this is your turn to support him?

WATSON: Well, it's not just my turn, but there's a lot of people involved in trying to support him. Marsha, his wife, has been absolutely a godsend as far as what she's been doing. Jeff Julian and Kim Julian. Jeff played the PGA tour for a few years, and he also contracted ALS, and Jeff and Kim have been instrumental in getting the word out about ALS and trying to get people involved to basically help fund for more research. Grants are needed for ALS research. And this is what we've been trying to -- we're trying to get that word out to everybody, as best we can.

O'BRIEN: I know that folks have been coming up to you, handing you checks, handing you money on the course, which has got to feel pretty good.

WATSON: It is. There's a lot of great compassion here in America. And I've seen it everywhere I've been. Bruce has seen it everywhere he's been, as well. And it's heartwarming, yet it's bittersweet. This disease has no known cure, and we need to find something fast.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

O'BRIEN: Our exclusive interview with Tom Watson and Bruce Edwards, which we did yesterday. If you'd like to help Tom Watson and Bruce Edwards in their fight against ALS, log on to their Web site, which is drivingforlife.org.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com