Fred Funk

Early life

Funk was born in Takoma Park, Maryland. He tried several sports, and even boxed for eight years for a junior boys club. He played on the golf team at High Point High School in Beltsville, Maryland.

Amateur career

Funk went to the University of Maryland (UM) but was cut from the golf team in 1975. He transferred to Prince George's Community College and then returned to UM two years later to earn a top spot with the Terrapins golf team. At the time he also held a job as a circulation supervisor for the Washington Star. He graduated from the University of Maryland in 1980 with a degree in law enforcement.

Professional career

In 1981, Funk turned professional. He worked as the golf coach for University of Maryland from 1982 to 1988.

After playing in a few PGA Tour events for several years beginning in 1982 but with little success, Funk finally became a member of the PGA Tour in 1989, playing in 29 official tournaments. He earned his biggest paycheck with $12,500 in a tie for ninth in the Chattanooga Classic.

In 1990, he struggled with consistency, missing the cut in nearly half the tournaments he entered. However, there were some bright spots, including a T-3 to earn $34,800 in the Chattanooga Classic as well as a fifth-place finish in the Buick Open to pocket $40,000. In 1991, he had slightly more success, with top-10 finishes in five tournaments.

Funk broke through in 1992 with his most successful year to date, including his first PGA Tour win. In May, he captured the Shell Houston Open with a 16-under score for a two-stroke win over Kirk Triplett and winnings of $216,000.

In 1995, he won his second PGA Tour tournament with a score of 16-under at the 1995 Ideon Classic at Pleasant Valley, for which he earned $180,000. He followed that up with a win just two months later at the Buick Challenge, with another 16-under for $180,000.

Funk was a member of the United States teams at the 2003 and 2005 Presidents Cup and the 2004 Ryder Cup. He received some criticism in 2004 for opting out of The Open Championship, one of the tour's four major tournaments, despite having qualified. He played instead in that week's B.C. Open, a much less prestigious event, but one which also offered Ryder Cup ranking points.

In 2005, Funk scored his biggest PGA Tour win when he captured The Players Championship, also becoming its oldest winner at 48 years, 9 months, 14 days by defeating Tom Lehman, Scott Verplank and Luke Donald by a stroke. He earned $1.44 million for the win.

Senior career

Since turning 50 in June 2006, Funk has been eligible for Champions Tour events and debuted in the 2006 U.S. Senior Open. When he turned 50, he still featured in the top 50 of the Official World Golf Ranking.

He won a further PGA Tour tournament, his eighth career win, in 2007 after his senior debut, becoming only the second over-50 player to win on the PGA Tour in 31 years. That win came at the Mayakoba Golf Classic at Riviera Maya-Cancun. By winning Funk became the first man to win a PGA Tour event held in Mexico and, at age 50 years, 8 months and 12 days, became the fifth-oldest champion in PGA Tour history and the oldest since Art Wall Jr. (51 years, 7 months, 10 days) at the 1975 Greater Milwaukee Open.

In August 2008, Funk won his first senior major, the JELD-WEN Tradition.

After years of chronic knee pain, Funk underwent a total knee replacement in 2009. Later that year, on June 8, 2009, he became the oldest qualifier, at age 53, for the U.S. Open at Bethpage Black by shooting 139 over 36 holes at Woodmont Country Club in Rockville, Maryland, surviving a playoff. In August 2009, Funk won his second major championship on the Champions Tour at the 2009 U.S. Senior Open at Crooked Stick Golf Club in Carmel, Indiana. Funk dominated the rest of the field and cruised to a six-stroke victory over Joey Sindelar.

With his third senior major victory at the 2010 Jeld-Wen Tradition, he became the first player to win a PGA Tour-sanctioned event after knee-replacement surgery.

A popular player on tour, his fans are referred to as "Funk's Punks." The iconic songs — Play That Funky Music and Give Up the Funk — have become theme songs for the fan favorite.

Funk has publicly endorsed a number of products including clubs, greens, and golf balls. He maintains professional relationships with Southwest Greens, TaylorMade for its clubs, Titleist golf balls, and Stryker Orthopaedics.

As of the 2013–14 season at age 57, Funk currently still plays in several PGA Tour events a year while devoting most of his time to the Champions Tour.

At the end of the 2013 season, Funk ranked 38th in career PGA Tour earnings with just over $21 million in earnings. He ranked 23rd in all-time Champions Tour earnings with over $9.1 million.

Personal life

In the 1980s, Funk got married for the first time. He has a son, Eric Justin, born in 1991. He was divorced in 1992.

In 1994, Funk married Sharon (née Archer), the daughter of Texan congressman Bill Archer. They have two children. Their son, Taylor Christian, played golf for Ponte Vedra High School and won the Florida 2A state championship. Taylor turned professional in 2017.

Awards and honors

• Funk was inducted into the University of Maryland Athletic Hall of Fame.
• Funk has been enshrined into Maryland Athletic Hall of Fame.

Professional wins (29)

PGA Tour wins (8)

PGA Tour playoff record (2–3)

Other wins (12)

• 1977 Middle Atlantic PGA Championship
• 1978 Middle Atlantic PGA Championship
• 1979 Middle Atlantic PGA Championship
• 1983 Maryland Open
• 1984 Foot-Joy PGA Assistant Professional Championship
• 1987 Maryland Open, Middle Atlantic PGA Championship
• 1988 Middle Atlantic PGA Championship
• 1989 Middle Atlantic PGA Championship
• 1993 Mexican Open
• 2005 Merrill Lynch Skins Game (unofficial money event-PGA Tour), CVS Charity Classic (with Chris DiMarco)

PGA Tour Champions wins (9)

Champions Tour playoff record (0–3)

Results in major championships

WD = withdrew

CUT = missed the half-way cut

"T" indicates a tie for a place

Summary

• Most consecutive cuts made – 5 (1993 U.S. Open – 1994 PGA)
• Longest streak of top-10s – 1 (five times)

The Players Championship

Wins (1)

Results timeline

CUT = missed the halfway cut

"T" indicates a tie for a place.

Results in World Golf Championships

1Cancelled due to 9/11

QF, R16, R32, R64 = Round in which player lost in match play

"T" = Tied

NT = No tournament

Senior major championships

Wins (3)

Results timeline

Results not in chronological order before 2022.

CUT = missed the half-way cut

WD = withdrew

"T" indicates a tie for a place

NT = no tournament due to COVID-19 pandemic

U.S. national team appearances

Professional

• Ryder Cup: 2004
• Presidents Cup: 2003 (tie), 2005 (winners)
• UBS Cup: 2002 (winners), 2004 (winners)
• Wendy's 3-Tour Challenge (representing Champions Tour): 2007, 2008 (winners), 2009, 2012, 2013

Notes

References

References

1. McMullen, Paul. (June 5, 1997). "Funk, now in the money, strives to be on the money Former Terps coach seeks major impact". [[The Baltimore Sun]].
2. "Fred Funk – Overview". PGA Tour.
3. "Fred Funk – Career". PGA Tour.
4. Harig, Bob. (August 10, 2004). "Ryder Cup takes all of Funk's focus". [[St. Petersburg Times]].
5. "Fred Funk – Profile". PGA Tour.
6. Healey, Katy. (July 10, 2013). "Fred Funk playing with fake knee at U.S. Senior Open". [[Omaha World-Herald]].
7. (August 2, 2009). "Funk makes history on way to U.S. Senior Open triumph". [[USA Today]].
8. "Fred Funk PGA Pro Endorses Southwest Greens". Southwest Greens.
9. (August 18, 2008). "TaylorMade-adidas Golf Tour Staff Professionals Fred Funk and Peter Hanson Claim Victories". Golfers Magazine.
10. (March 29, 2005). "Titleist.com Press Releases". Titleist.
11. "Real Patients - Real Stories: Fred Funk". Stryker Corporation.
12. Martin, Sean. (September 18, 2013). "Funk, 57, to play PGA Tour in 2013-14". PGA Tour.
13. "PGA Tour – Career Money Leaders". PGA Tour.
14. "Champions Tour – Career Money Leaders". PGA Tour.
15. "Fred Funk". Icon Sports Management.
16. Klein, Danny. (May 12, 2013). "Sharon the secret to Funk's success over the years". [[The St. Augustine Record]].
17. Campbell, Steve. (October 13, 2007). "PGA golfer Funk enjoys ties that bind in Houston". [[Houston Chronicle]].
18. (September 22, 1984). "Golf: PGA Assistants Tourney". The Boston Globe.