R.W. Eaks: The long-time Scottsdale resident posted his best-ever finish on the Chamipons Tour over the weekend, when he lost a one-hole playoff to Andy Bean in the Greater Hickory Classic at Conover, N.C. Eaks got into the playoff with a fantastic finish, as he birdied six of the last seven holes on Sunday.

“Thank God I didn’t withdraw,’’ said Eaks, who fought through back pain during Saturday’s round to stay in the hunt for his biggest paycheck as a pro -- $140,800 compared to Bean’s $240,000. “I had really thought about the WD on Saturday.’’

Eaks, who played for over 20 years on the Ben Hogan-Nike-Buy.Com-Nationwide Tour before joining the Champions Tour four years ago, has been plagued throughout his career by a long list of injuries, most notably the back. But his runner-up finish moved him from No. 32 on the Champions Tour money list to No. 27 ($605,310), which almost guaranteed him a spot in the 30-player field for the $2.5 million Charles Schwab Cup, which takes place in three weeks.

If the 54-year-old Eaks remains among the top 30 money winners for 2006, he would be fully exempt on next year’s Champions Tour. Last year, he finished in 30 th place on the money list – “the bubble boy’’ – after winning $550,595, so his chances are good for a return. Had he won, he would have received a one-year exemption along with a trip to the season-opening, winners-only MasterCard Championship.

“I was really happy with the way I played, and I was really happy for Andy, too,’’ said the good-natured Eaks, who relies on a power game, most notably his driving, where he is No. 2 on tour with an average of 289.3 yards per drive. “When Andy had the lead (on the back nine Sunday), I was just trying to get second place.’’

But the putts kept dropping for Eaks as he came down the stretch. All but the last one, as his birdie attempt from 4 feet on the playoff hole lipped out of the cup. That gave the 53-year-old Bean, who had two-putted from 25 feet for his birdie, his first victory on the Champions.

“Now, if I can just stay healthy for the next couple of weeks, who knows?’’ said Eaks, a former basketball star at the University of Colorado who often is seen in Scottsdale riding out to Desert Mountain on his Harley-Davidson. “But the important thing was to make a nice check and insure myself a spot out here next year (as a top-30 money winner).’’

Eaks should have a good shot this week at the SASS Championship, which also is played in North Carolina. Last year, he led the event going into Sunday’s final round before a 77 pushed him back into a tie for 10 th place.

ON TOUR

Mickelson hibernating: Phil Mickelson will not play again in 2006, according to a release approved by his agency, Scottsdale-based Gaylord Sports. Lefty told the PGA of America he will not be participating in the Grand Slam of Golf, which was set for late November in Hawaii. Replacing Mickelson, who also is skipping the season-ending Tour Championship in early November, will be Mike Weir, who was second on the alternates list after first alternate Jim Furyk got in because of Tiger Woods’ two wins at the British Open and PGA Championship. Geoff Ogilvy, who captured the U.S. Open, will make it a foursome in the Grand Slam.

Sorenstam on Leno: Annika Sorenstam will make her second appearance on the Jay Leno Show on Monday night. The No. 1 ranked player in women’s golf will be going for her 70 th career win next week at the Samsung World Championship, a tournament she has won five times. She previously appeared on the Jay Leno Show prior to playing in the 2003 Bank of Colonial on the PGA Tour.

NOTEWORTHY

Heading to Japan: Four junior golfers from Scottsdale have been selected to play on the American team for the upcoming Honda International Junior Championship on Oct. 12-15 at Ibaragi, Japan. They include Philip Francis and Esther Choe, the top-ranked juniors in both the boys’ and girls’ divisions of the American Junior Golf Association, as well as Drew Kittleson and Taylore Karle.

Gatts obit: Long-time East Valley resident Art Gatts, who wrote about golf for the newspaper “Lovin’ Life After 50,’’ died Monday after contracting the West Nile virus. Friends and family plan to plant a tree and construct a bench in Gatts’ honor at his home course, Sun Lakes Country Club. Gatts was 83.