The SAS Championship presented by Forbes returns to Prestonwood Country Club for the eighth annual event the week of Sept. 22-28 and will once again play host to many of golf’s legends.

Through the SAS Championship volunteer experience, more than 600 Triangle area residents get up close and personal with the Champions Tour golfers each year. Cary resident Tim Fairchild will be volunteering for the seventh year and shared some of his thoughts and experiences.

How long have you volunteered for the SAS Championship? This will be the seventh year for me. I joined SAS in 2002 and have volunteered every year since then.

How much time do you spending volunteering for the SAS Championship during tournament week? As a walking scorer, I volunteer for the Pro-Am as well as for the championship so my scheduled shifts take place between Wednesday and Sunday.

One of the good things about the way the various volunteer committees are structured is that I could choose to work a lot less — or a lot more — depending on my schedule and preferences. For example, some committees need volunteers every day of tournament week while others need volunteers only during the Pro-Am or during the Championship rounds.

What volunteer committees have you worked on for the SAS Championship? Walking Scorer, Laser Operator, Customer Relationship Host.

What are your responsibilities for this year’s tournament? Walking Scorer. [A a volunteer who walks with a designated group throughout a round of play, recording strokes and statistics in a hand-held device. Their role is vital to accurate scoring and stat tracking of the golfers.]

Why do you choose to come back year after year? Every year the volunteer experience at the SAS Championship just gets better and better. Besides, there are some people — fellow volunteers, Champions Tour staff, customers, pros, and caddies — that I only get to see once a year during tournament week.

Who is your favorite player to watch on the Champions Tour circuit? Scott Simpson. I served as a walking scorer for Scott when he made his Champions Tour debut in 2005 and right from the first tee he treated me like an old friend. He’s the only person I’ve ever met who has won the U.S. Open, plays competitive golf with Bill Murray, has been on a Wheaties box, has read Moneyball, and hosts an annual tournament to benefit brain-injured children. He’s the real deal.

From your experience, what are some interesting quirks about Champions Tour pros? It’s really fun to watch how some of them interact with their amateur partners during the Pro-Am.

Last year, Tom Wargo threatened to fine anyone on his team $100 if they left their putts short. He barked at them throughout the round like a Marine drill sergeant — all in good fun of course.

The weather was really bad during one of the Pro-Am rounds last year and it was really special to see Jeff Sluman standing in the rain on the tee box at the last hole encouraging his amateur partners ... just as he did for each of the previous 17 holes of a five-plus hour round.

When things get serious during the championship rounds, I have a front row seat to observe how the pros react to adversity. A few of them have quick tempers and display them for all to see (and hear) when things don’t go their way. On the other hand, in 2006 I watched Dick Mast hold his head high and carry himself like he was about to win the Masters while he shot one of his worst rounds of the year. But if he had been wearing a microphone that day, there would have been no need for a seven-second delay and a bleep button. That had a lasting impression on me and it was a real honor for me to score for Dick again last year when he teed off with Mark Wiebe and Dana Quigley in the final group on Sunday. He’s a fine man on and off the course.

You are also a SAS employee; is it easy to take time off to volunteer? Absolutely. I plan my schedule for that week well in advance.

What souvenirs have you collected over the years volunteering at the SAS Championship? The pros usually give signed golf balls to their walking scorers and standard bearers at the end of the round so I have a shoebox full of golf balls signed by some of the greatest names in golf. And of course I have a bunch of shirts and hats and pins. But the best SAS Championship souvenirs of all are lots of new friends and lots of good memories.