Good Guy Fred Funk Wins Champions Event
Good guy Fred Funk won his first Champions Tour event, in only his 3rd start on the senior circuit. Funk is one of the few guys on tour that for most part, enjoys playing the game, and actually shows it during his round. Funk tells the story of mimicking Tiger Woods’ fist pump at the PGA Championship a few years ago, and how much fun the crowd enjoyed because it was a fun gesture and not at all meant to demean Tiger’s pump.
Funk is exactly what the Champion Tour needs to spruce up the telecasts, now that Hale Irwin isn’t a top-10 factor any longer. In fact, Funk’s post-round comment is truly indicative of what he feels when playing his round, when he said he really enjoys the fact the crowd is allowed inside the ropes on the closing holes. He appreciates the fans and is hell-bent on giving them a good time.
Funk has been a late bloomer on the regular tour and actually won the Players Championship last year, at the age of 49, which is every bit as impressive as Jack winning at Augusta when he was “only” 46. Ironically, Funk probably got as much press when he played the silly-season Skins event last November when he put on a skirt, provided by Annika Sorenstam, when she outdrove him on one of the holes. It was great golf entertainment, and I look forward to seeing Fred in more Champions Tour events.