By Lauren Deason
PGATOUR.com staff

DEARBORN, Mich. -- Last week, last week, last week. They're still talking all about it, but who can really blame them?

With back-to-back majors, there's hardly been time to process what happened at the U.S. Senior Open before diving into another 72-hole event at this week's Ford Senior Players Championship.

Such is the month of July on the Champions Tour, as three of the five majors, with their extremely competitive fields and difficult golf courses, make it arguably the most challenging month on Tour.

Some players, like Peter Jacobsen, who is defending his title at the Ford Senior Players Championship, are excited about their chances this week due to the scheduling of events.

"I think it's an advantage. It sharpens your game. I know Allen Doyle winning, Tom Watson playing well, Fred Funk, Jay Haas, all of the players who come from the Senior Open having played well, they are happy about their game coming into this week," Jacobsen said, adding, "This [course] is more fun than a U.S. Open. Here, there's an opportunity to make some birdies."

The reigning U.S. Senior Open champ, meanwhile, really likes the TPC Michigan course -- and with good reason. Doyle won the Ford Senior Players Championship in 2001.

"I'll try to tell myself I'm on a roll now to see if I can keep things going and play well like I did last week," Doyle said. With his victory at the season's third major, which awards double points in the Charles Schwab Cup races, Doyle jumped to fourth in the standings for the season-long competition that rewards the winner with a $1 million annuity.

Instead of dwelling on the past, Haas, the current Charles Schwab Cup leader, said he is attempting to use last week's tournament to help him get his putting back on track.

While channel surfing, Haas came across a re-broadcast of the U.S. Senior Open on the Golf Channel. Like a coach might review game tape, Haas tuned in because he "wanted to see what [my putting] looked like, just to critique myself, to see if I noticed anything I wasn't doing correctly. I was trying to learn from video something that might help me this week."

As for Funk, last week's pre-tournament favorite, he is back to try his hand at another Champions Tour major. In his Tour debut at the U.S. Senior Open, Funk tied for 11th. Not bad for his first try, but Funk was none too pleased with his performance and said he hopes he got those first tournament nerves out of his system.

"I think being looked at as a favorite caused some anxiety for me. It was frustrating last week," Funk said. "I feel a little more relaxed this week, [whereas] last week I felt I shouldn't miss anything."

Following the Ford Senior Players Championship, Funk will return to the PGA TOUR, where he hopes to play well enough to make the Ryder Cup team. Starting in 2007, Funk said he will "cherry pick" his events, likely dividing his time between the two Tours. As a mischievous sparkle appeared in his startlingly bright blue eyes, the 50-year-old shared his dream plan for next season.

"My fantasy goal would be to win one event out here and one on the PGA TOUR. That way I could play four weeks in Hawaii," Funk joked, referring to the winner's only Mercedes Championships and Sony Open in Hawaii that open the PGA TOUR season in January, plus the two Champions Tour events that take place in the three weeks following.

Loren Roberts, who like Haas is a three-time winner on the Champions Tour this season, also will be competing at the Ford Senior Players Championship. The exceptionally good field also boasts such notables as Chi Chi Rodriguez and Gary Player.

The Ford Senior Players Championship has one of the largest purses on Tour at $2.5 million with the winner receiving $375,000. Also at stake is a berth in THE PLAYERS Championship next May. PGA TOUR officials announced this week that the Ford Senior Players winner will be invited to its marquee event.

This is the last time the tournament will be held in Dearborn, Mich., as next year's tournament will move to Baltimore, Md., where it will be titled the Constellation Energy Senior Players Championship. It also will change dates, taking place from Oct. 1-7, 2007.