Local favorite Funk draws faithful gallery in spite of struggles
Click here for a slideshow from Friday at the AT&T National
Teetering on the edge of a bunker built into the steep hill leading up to Congressional Country Club's ninth green, Takoma Park native Fred Funk frustratingly swung his club. Sand spattered and the ball popped up briefly before falling two feet in front of him, in the primary rough.
Funk, 53, triple-bogeyed the par-5 hole in a microcosm of his second round Friday at the AT&T National. Funk missed the cut and will not play over the weekend, but that did not detract from the hundreds of loyal and vocal fans who walked the entire 18-hole course by his side.
The leader after two rounds, Tiger Woods (10-under) and defending champion Anthony Kim (minus-8) drew some of the largest crowds Friday but Funk's gallery was right up there.
"He is the local guy, you have to cheer for him," said Silver Spring resident Patrick McGlade, 49. "He is a good guy. A lot of these guys are unapproachable. Fred is not. He is a friendly guy. I think that helps his fan base, too."
Funk's struggles Friday were surprising. Leading up to the AT&T National, he had made the cut in three of the four PGA Tour tournaments he played in 2009, including the U.S. Open and Players Championships. Funk is a regular on the Champions Tour, for players over 50.
Funk made his first start on the PGA Tour at the 1982 Kemper Open at Congressional. He finished tied for 51st and won $947. He coached at the golf at the University of Maryland from 1982-1988 before making it full-time on the PGA Tour in 1989.
He has won eight PGA Tour titles and four Champions Tour titles.
Funk will not be back at Congressional on Saturday and Sunday, but he is already thinking about qualifying for the 2011 U.S. Open to be played there.
"It is always great to come home and be in front of the home crowd," Funk said. "I want to play well in front of them, but I did not. I just hit some terrible irons the last two days. I had some birdie opportunities and missed them and then made eight on the last hole to add salt to the wound. But it is a great golf course and it is nice to be here."
Rod Pampling shot a 6-under 64 Friday and trails Woods by one stroke. Kim is alone in third, and his playing partner Jim Furyk is fourth at 7-under. The two will be paired together for the third day in a row Saturday.
Bryce Molder, D.A. Points and Daniel Chopra are tied for fifth at 6-under.
Woods and Pampling will tee off from Hole No. 1 at 1:50 p.m. in the Saturday's final pairing. Kim and Furyk will go off 10 minutes earlier.
Here is a roundup of the best of the action during Friday's second round:
Best shot
After double-bogeying hole No. 11, Vijay Singh lofted a 43-yard wedge into the cup from the primary rough 14 yards off the fairway to birdie the par-4 14th. He finished 2-under for the round and is tied for 23rd.
Biggest gallery reaction
When Anthony Kim approached the green at the par-5 ninth hole with a birdie opportunity that would give him a one-stroke lead on tournament host Tiger Woods. Kim bogeyed the hole.
Best gallery comment
"Yeah, baby!"
Shouted by a toddler repeating the gallery's reaction to local favorite Fred Funk's six-foot putt to finish out the par-4 No. 5 hole.
Best fashion statement
Ryan Moore. The Tacoma, Washington native trekked the historical Congressional Country Club grounds Friday in white pinstriped pants, blue sweater vest, blue-striped tie, and a ranger-style hat.
"I do not have any deals or clothing contracts or anything this year so I am just really trying to have fun with [my outfits]," Moore said. "I am wearing probably like six different brands right now. I'll go shopping during the tournament and find something, a shirt, a tie. I just look for something fun."
Weather: Partly cloudy with winds of 10-15 miles per hour and a high temperature of 80 degrees.
Attendance: 46,932
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