Golf Special Report: Fred Funk- a legend
He graduated from University of Maryland and turned professional in 1981. Fred Funk, a man a legend.
Despite turning professional, the American worked as a golf coach until 1988, and joined PGA Tour in 1989. His debut victory was tapped at Houston Open in 1992 and with a gap of two months; he claimed his second title in the Ideon Classic.
However, after that, the rookie had to wait for three years to seize his third trophy at the Buick Challenge, and with a gap of 12 months, Funk won the B.C. Open. According to the tradition, Funk smashed 63 in the final round and pushed the tournament in
a play-off, which he won later. Two years later, the American won another title at Deposit Guaranty Golf Classic and then started the longest drought of his career. For four years, Funk failed to win a title, but in 2004, the veteran seized the Southern Farm
Bureau Classic by hammering Ryan Palmer with a stroke.
A year later, Funk witnessed the most significant triumph of his career in The Players Championship. Supported by his devoted followers named ‘ Funk’s Punks’, Funk made a quick start, helped by a 66 and kept it steady till he kicked dust in the eyes of
Luke Donald, Tom Lehman, and Scott Verplank. In 2007, Funk recorded his eighth win in Mexico with Mayakoba Golf Classic, after which he joined the Champions Tour.
His triumph in Mexico made him the second senior to post a victory on the PGA Tour in three decades. Moreover, Funk held a grip on the top 50th spot in the Official World Golf Rankings. Funk is known as the shortest drivers on the PGA Tour, but
proved his accuracy time repeatedly. According to a record, he has led the driving accuracy statistics more than seven times.
Another aspect of Funk’s personality is his sense of humour. The veteran is known for his jokes on the course. At one occasion during a Skins Game in 2005, he turned in a pink skirt, which belonged to Annika Sorenstam after he lost a bet to her. Annika outdrove
a shot made by the American veteran. In result of it, he had to walk the entire course in a small pink skirt, which revealed his half-shaved legs.
Two years back, Funk stroke his debut victory at The Jeld-Wen Tradition, an event of Champion Tour. Moreover, last year he became the oldest contender at the US Open at the age of 53, which was yet another achievement. Apart from that, he won the second
Major tournament on the Champions Tour with a victory in the US Senior Open, which took place at Crooked Stick in Indiana. Funk was seen in a witty form and won with the help of six shots.
Currently, the 54-year-old lives in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida and appears seldom in PGA Tour events. However, he is a regular player in Champions Tour, which is why he holds six trophies under the banner. According to a press release, Fred Funk has earned
$1.2 million in the current year, and sits on the top sixth spot on the Champion’s Tour Order of Merit rankings.
A week back, he appeared at Shark Shootout in Florida and seized the runner-up spot with the help of magnificent putting. He birdied five of the holes alongside Kenny Parry and gave some serious competition to the winner’s namely, Ian Poulter and Luke Donald.
The player is considered as a living legend in the world of golf and has a foundation running under his name, whose mission is to spread the sport on nationwide basis.
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