Over his back woes, Funk back turning heads on the TOUR  Special to PGATOUR.com CROMWELL, Conn. -- The usually effervescent Fred Funk has had a bit of a funky year.  Fred Funk has won on both the Champions Tour and the PGA TOUR. (WireImage)
In March, Funk joined Craig Stadler as the only players to win on the PGA TOUR and Champions Tour in the same year. First, Funk romped to a record 11-stroke victory in the Champions Tour's Turtle Bay Championship, then won the Mayakoba Golf Classic, the first PGA TOUR event in Mexico. But in the third round of his victory in Cancun, Funk experienced the first back problems of his career. "It's funny how many people are experts (on cures)," Funk said. "Everybody says, 'I know a guy that knows a guy who says if you do this, I guarantee it will work.' " Nothing did until two weeks ago, when Funk met Jerry James, a former Mr. California, before the St. Jude Championship in Memphis, Tenn. James, who won the senior long-drive contest last year, got Funk stretching three hours a day for a week. It got Funk's glutes, hips and hamstrings loosened up, which freed up his back. "My hips were so ground down that my back couldn't turn and was trying to make up for it," Funk said. "I went to the (36-hole) U.S. Open qualifier and didn't have any problem with my back. I tweaked it the Monday of the U.S. Open, but it got better each day." By that Thursday, Funk felt so good he belied his 51 years, shooting a 1-over-par 71 in the first round of the national championship after being serenaded on the first tee with "Happy Birthday." "Old course, old guy, good play," Funk said. Sadistic Oakmont Country Club won the rest of the way as Funk shot 78-74-74 to tie for 30th. Still, it was his second-best finish on the PGA TOUR since the Mayakoba victory. He withdrew twice, missed four cuts and tied for 21st in the Verizon Heritage Classic before getting help from James and finishing in a tie for 46th in Memphis. Now, Funk is in position for a ninth PGA TOUR victory after he birdied five of seven holes midway through the third round of the Travelers Championship on Saturday. He shot a 3-under 67 and has a 54-hole total of 202, three behind leader Jay Williamson. "The satisfying thing is I was out of position after six holes (2 over) and now I'm back in it," Funk said. "I fought my way back and played really well. I've been hitting the ball pretty good. The putter hasn't been all that great, and then it started clicking at the end. "You're only as good as that putt stick, so when the puck stick is working, it's a lot better. It was a little bit of a struggle early with it, but it rewarded me coming in, so I'm pleased with the way it ended up." Funk, who celebrated his wedding anniversary Thursday, is also pleased with his game after nearly four months of anguish. It was a disappointing turn of events after Funk was exempt on TOUR for five years after winning The Players Championship in 2005. "Funny how life is totally backwards," Funk said. "When I won The Players Championship, it screwed everything up. I was planning on just moving right on over [to the Champions Tour]." Now, Funk is committed to the PGA TOUR, with the long-range goal of making the Presidents Cup again. "At the last Presidents Cup, [captain] Jack Nicklaus asked me what I was going to do, and I didn't know," Funk said. "He said, 'You'll know.' I said, 'What do you mean you'll know?' He said, 'When you're not competitive, you're not reaching your goals.' I said, 'That's a good way to look at it.' "I have certain goals, and if I start falling way short of those goals, I'll move on. I'll just pick and choose (on the Champions Tour), play two or three more at the end of the year. But I have found it's difficult. Everyone has said no one has ever really played both tours well when you bounce back and forth because if you have certain high goals you can't achieve them if you're splitting tours. "I do really enjoy the Champions Tour, but right now my mindset is to stay out (on the PGA TOUR) for who knows how long. Money is not that big a draw at this point, as long as I'm competitive and physically able to do it. It's nice to have options." |
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