What they said: Fred Funk

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Feb. 20, 2011

MORE INTERVIEWS: ACE Group Classic transcript archive

MODERATOR: Okay, Fred. A final round 66, but nobody can close the gap really on Bernhard, and you end up finishing solo second, a very nice week for you.

FRED FUNK: Yeah, it did end up nice having second, and I did close that gap there. I got it within where I thought if I just could make a couple more putts coming in, I really -- the big turning point was probably -- the first big turning point was I made birdie on -- well, that was too early still, I didn't close that gap yet. What hole was it? 11, he makes -- I missed my birdie putt and then he made a bogey putt, and then instead of a potential three-shot swing and get tied for the lead, I only picked up one.

And then he hit an unbelievable shot into 12 .that was the shot of the week, I think. He missed the putt, but it was just a great second shot he hit. And I did make birdie, but -- I didn't make the birdie there. I had the chances on 14 and 15 and 16 and 17 and just couldn't get them in the hole.

So I put myself in position where I needed to do what I needed to do except for I didn't finish them off. When I got it within two, if I could have gotten it to within one, even two with two to go would have been okay. You just never know. Then he stuffs it on 18, so game, set, match. Just pretty much game set match after I missed the one on 17 and 16.

Anyway, it was fun. It was fun to get in the hunt. It was kind of strange how all of a sudden I got back in it because they got off to a really bad start, he and Calc, and the first five holes there, under par, way under. I'm just kind of toiling along there making pars, and then I go birdie, eagle, birdie and then a par and birdie and par and a birdie and I'm right there. That was a nice little stretch, but that was my whole day was that little stretch right there.

MODERATOR: Can you just take us through your birdies that you did make and the eagle?

FRED FUNK: 6, I hit it in there about two feet and --

MODERATOR: What club?

FRED FUNK: 8-iron. And then 7, I hit it just over the green in two and a nice little chip and it was nice. I finally got one of those to act right coming off the blade and I hit a perfect line and it went in. Hit an 8-iron pin high on 8 probably about 15 feet and just hit a beautiful putt there. And then what was 9? 9, I got stuck in a divot. That was unfortunate there. I couldn't -- I had sand wedge in, but it was sticking way down in a hole when it did it with sand in the bottom and I couldn't get it close. Almost made that one. But then I birdied 10 from -- I hit a 9-iron, I guess I got it in there about 12 feet, I guess, made that, a little downhiller. That was a nice putt. Then I two putted from the front fringe, made about a five-footer on the second one as well.

MODERATOR: Go ahead, Greg.

Q. What happened on 17 there when you backed away from the putt I don't think in the grand scheme of things it --

FRED FUNK: Yeah, it turned out not meaning anything, thank goodness, but my nose has been running and every time I bend over my putt, my nostrils start dripping and it started to drip. So I backed off and then I got over it, and I don't know, I just hit a bad putt there. It's one of the things that keeps creeping in a little bit and I've got to get that stroke out of my system. It comes off the blade and I kind of shut it coming through and I think it's a little decel. The blade gets shut and it comes off left and hot and that's probably -- shouldn't have been any nerves, but it must have been a little bit of nerves there. I have to admit something's wrong.

Q. You and Bernhard were chatting coming up to 18. Can you share about that?

FRED FUNK: No, I just told him how great he played and he said how great I played, too, and it was great to see me playing that well and keep playing along.

He's become a really good friend of mine and we're really good friends. We've become really close since we both came out here on the Champions Tour, really got to know each other and know each other's families really well, so we're really close. I just told him he's a class guy, a class act and how great he's playing. It's fun. You know, it was fun to be a part of that and I'll have my time this year, I know that. I know I'm starting to play good enough that I can get myself in that position. Almost did today, so we'll get it.

MODERATOR: Can you sort of talk -- you're going to play the PGA Tour event at Mayakoba.

FRED FUNK: I'm looking forward to that, I'm going to Mayakoba at Cancun and they have the same exact grass they have here, the Paspalum. Norman did the golf course, it's a great job. It's a really tough golf course off the tee if it gets windy, even if it's not windy. They have probably five or six holes there that you have to suck it up and hit a good drive and it's just bordered with mangroves. The fairways are somewhat generous but nothing like these and you have to drive the golf ball here.

So if I drive it as well as I started hitting it, especially yesterday and today, I should set myself up pretty good with the irons and get the putter going. I'll have my son back on the bag next week, really looking forward to that and just having a good week.

Then after that I'll come back and I'll play Honda, play the regular Tour at Honda. I'm playing a few more out there than -- now that I'm healthy and I can go out there and play a few, I'm going to cherrypick. I'm not sure about Puerto Rico versus Toshiba, so never played Puerto Rico, love Newport, but we'll see what happens.

MODERATOR: Bill? Anything else for Fred? We'll let you go, man.

FRED FUNK: Thanks.

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