Frederick Funk (born June 14, 1956) is an American professional golfer. He currently plays on the PGA Tour Champions. He previously played on the PGA Tour, where he was an eight-time winner. Funk's signature win came at The Players Championship in 2005.

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.

Funk's fans are referred to as "Funk's Punks." Two songs — Play That Funky Music and Give Up the Funk — have become theme songs for the Funk's Punks.

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 still played 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)

Legend
Players Championships (1)
Other PGA Tour (7)
No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin of victoryRunner(s)-up
1May 3, 1992Shell Houston Open−16 (68-72-62-70=272)2 strokesUnited States Kirk Triplett
2Jul 30, 1995Ideon Classic at Pleasant Valley−16 (66-63-66-73=268)1 strokeUnited States Jim McGovern
3Oct 1, 1995Buick Challenge−16 (69-67-69-67=272)1 strokeUnited States John Morse, United States Loren Roberts
4Sep 22, 1996B.C. Open−16 (68-66-63=197)PlayoffUnited States Pete Jordan
5Jul 19, 1998Deposit Guaranty Golf Classic−18 (69-64-69-68=270)2 strokesUnited States Paul Goydos, United States Franklin Langham, United States Tim Loustalot
6Oct 3, 2004Southern Farm Bureau Classic (2)−22 (69-67-64-66=266)1 strokeUnited States Ryan Palmer
7Mar 28, 2005The Players Championship−9 (65-72-71-71=279)1 strokeEngland Luke Donald, United States Tom Lehman, United States Scott Verplank
8Feb 25, 2007Mayakoba Golf Classic−14 (62-69-64-71=266)PlayoffArgentina José Cóceres

PGA Tour playoff record (2–3)

No.YearTournamentOpponent(s)Result
11996B.C. OpenUnited States Pete JordanWon with birdie on first extra hole
21996Buick ChallengeUnited States Michael Bradley, United States Davis Love III, United States John Maginnes, United States Len MattiaceBradley won with birdie on first extra hole
31998Buick ChallengeAustralia Steve ElkingtonLost to par on first extra hole
41999B.C. OpenUnited States Brad FaxonLost to par on second extra hole
52007Mayakoba Golf ClassicArgentina José CóceresWon with birdie on second extra hole

Other wins (12)

PGA Tour Champions wins (9)

Legend
Champions Tour major championships (3)
Other Champions Tour (6)
No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin of victoryRunner(s)-up
1Oct 22, 2006AT&T Championship−12 (65-67-69=201)1 strokeUnited States Chip Beck
2Jan 28, 2007Turtle Bay Championship−23 (65-64-64=193)11 strokesUnited States Tom Kite, Japan Kiyoshi Murota, United States Tom Purtzer, United States Loren Roberts, Zimbabwe Denis Watson
3Jan 20, 2008MasterCard Championship−21 (67-63-65=195)2 strokesUnited States Allen Doyle
4Aug 17, 2008JELD-WEN Tradition−19 (69-66-65-69=269)3 strokesUnited States Mike Goodes
5Aug 2, 2009U.S. Senior Open−20 (68-67-68-66=268)6 strokesUnited States Joey Sindelar
6Aug 2, 2010JELD-WEN Tradition (2)−12 (68-69-70-69=276)1 strokeUnited States Michael Allen, Taiwan Lu Chien-soon
7May 6, 2012Insperity Championship−14 (66-69-67=202)1 strokeUnited States Tom Lehman
8Oct 14, 2012Greater Hickory Classic at Rock Barn−15 (66-66-69=201)1 strokeUnited States Duffy Waldorf
9Jun 8, 2014Big Cedar Lodge Legends of Golf (with United States Jeff Sluman)−20 (61-50-48=159)1 strokeUnited States Jay Haas and United States Peter Jacobsen

Champions Tour playoff record (0–3)

No.YearTournamentOpponent(s)Result
12009Principal Charity ClassicRepublic of Ireland Mark McNulty, Zimbabwe Nick PriceMcNulty won with birdie on fourth extra hole Price eliminated by birdie on second hole
22009The Senior Open ChampionshipRepublic of Ireland Mark McNulty, United States Loren RobertsRoberts won with par on third extra hole Funk eliminated by birdie on first hole
32010Posco E&C Songdo ChampionshipUnited States Russ CochranLost to birdie on first extra hole

Results in major championships

Tournament19851986198719881989
Masters Tournament
U.S. OpenT23CUTCUTCUT
The Open Championship
PGA ChampionshipT47
Tournament1990199119921993199419951996199719981999
Masters TournamentCUTT38T36T17CUTCUT
U.S. OpenCUTT33T7T44CUTCUTT43CUT
The Open Championship73WD
PGA ChampionshipT57CUTT44T55T39T26T61T2373
Tournament2000200120022003200420052006200720082009
Masters TournamentT37CUTCUTCUTCUTCUT
U.S. OpenCUTT44T356T23T40T3060
The Open ChampionshipCUTCUTCUTT66
PGA ChampionshipT9T70T4T7CUTT47T20CUT
Tournament20102011
Masters Tournament
U.S. OpenT70CUT
The Open Championship
PGA Championship

WD = withdrew CUT = missed the half-way cut "T" indicates a tie for a place

Summary

TournamentWins2nd3rdTop-5Top-10Top-25EventsCuts made
Masters Tournament000001124
U.S. Open0000242213
The Open Championship00000062
PGA Championship0001351815
Totals00015105834
  • Most consecutive cuts made – 5 (1993 U.S. Open – 1994 PGA)
  • Longest streak of top-10s – 1 (five times)

The Players Championship

Wins (1)

YearChampionship54 holesWinning scoreMarginRunners-up
2005The Players Championship4 shot deficit−9 (65-72-71-71=279)1 strokeEngland Luke Donald, United States Tom Lehman, United States Scott Verplank

Results timeline

Tournament199119921993199419951996199719981999
The Players ChampionshipCUTT60T39T78T61T13T14T69T38
Tournament20002001200220032004200520062007200820092010
The Players ChampionshipT13T33CUTT45T101T16CUTCUTT79T39

CUT = missed the halfway cut "T" indicates a tie for a place.

Results in World Golf Championships

Tournament199920002001200220032004200520062007
Match PlayR64R64R64R64R64R64R64
ChampionshipT7NT1T49T40T29
InvitationalT2T14T61T41T42T69

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)

YearChampionshipWinning scoreMarginRunner(s)-up
2008JELD-WEN Tradition−19 (69-66-65-69=269)3 strokesUnited States Mike Goodes
2009U.S. Senior Open−20 (68-67-68-66=268)6 strokesUnited States Joey Sindelar
2010JELD-WEN Tradition (2)−12 (68-69-70-69=276)1 strokeUnited States Michael Allen, Taiwan Lu Chien-soon

Results timeline

Results not in chronological order before 2022.

Tournament200620072008200920102011201220132014201520162017201820192020202120222023202420252026
Senior PGA Championship–T5T23T39CUTT13T39CUTT44T3876CUTNTT57T72WD
The Tradition111T51T18T9T12T16T932T442T53NTT48WDT71
U.S. Senior OpenT1121T43T50T22T33T20WDCUTCUTNTCUTCUTCUTCUTCUT
Senior Players ChampionshipT11T32T7T16T9T18T65T39T49T6WDWD70T7175
Senior British Open ChampionshipT2T3T7T57T69T29T34CUTCUTT46NTCUTCUTCUT

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

See also

Notes

External links