Mayakoba Golf Classic: First-Round Notebook  PGA TOUR Staff PLAYA DEL CARMEN -- First-round leader Fred Funk (8-under-par 62) is looking to join Craig Stadler as just the second player to capture a PGA TOUR event after winning on the Champions Tour. Stadler won the Ford Senior Players Championship in 2003, and the B.C. Open the following week. • After earning a Champions Tour victory in his rookie season last year, Funk rolled to a record 11-stroke victory at the Turtle Bay Championship in January, where he led wire-to-wire and played bogey-free golf over the three days. The 11-stroke margin erased the previous mark of nine strokes by three players, the most recent being Dave Stockton at the 1993 Franklin Quest Championship.
• The 8-under 62 by Fred Funk was one off his career l8-hole total on the PGA TOUR -- a second-round 61 (11-under) at the 1999 B.C. Open. • Funk's 62 is considered the course record for the El Camaleon Golf Club for PGA TOUR purposes. The 62 was one off the low 18 total on the PGA TOUR this season, an 11-under-par 61 by Brandt Snedeker (North Course) in the first round of the Buick Invitational. • The field played one player short this week (143 players) at Kelly Gibson withdrew prior to his round without an alternate on site. Lon Hinkle withdrew after nine holes after posting a 9-over-par 44 on his first nine (Nos. 10-18). • George McNeill, who was the medalist at the PGA TOUR Qualfying School, posted a most unusual 6-under-par 64 on Thursday. McNeill had eight birdies and an eagle (No. 13) along with a triple bogey (No. 1, his 10th hole) and two bogeys. McNeill is a former Florida State All-America that spent last year as an assistant professional at Forest Country Club in Fort Myers, Fla. • Hole No. 8 played most difficult, at 4.542, on Thursday. The hole yielded only four birdies on the day against 44 bogeys, 17 double bogeys and 1 triple bogey. The overall scoring average on the day was 70.317. • On the day, 55 of the 142 players that posted scores broke 70. Almost half the field (72 of 142) finished at par or better. • The field includes eight major champions who have combined for nine major titles: Mark Calcavecchia (1989 British Open), Steve Elkington (1995 PGA Championship), Steve Jones (1996 U.S. Open), Bob Tway (1986 PGA Championship), Jeff Sluman (1988 PGA Championship), Mark Brooks (1996 PGA Championship), Larry Mize (1987 Masters) and Lee Janzen (1993 and 1998 U.S. Open) -- have combined for nine major titles. • Three rookies in the field rank among the top 50 in the FedExCup standings through seven events. They are No. 18 Brandt Snedeker, No. 29 Andrew Buckle and No. 39 Doug LaBelle II. Copyright 2007 PGATOUR.com. All rights reserved. |
