Fred Funk
Height: 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)
Weight: 165 lbs
Birthday: June 14, 1956
College: University of Maryland
Year turned pro: 1981
Birthplace: Takoma Park, Maryland, USA
Country: USA
Sponsor: Southwest Greens, TaylorMade, Titleist, Stryker Orthopaedics.
Born in Takoma Park, Maryland, in 1956, Funk was a keen all round sportsman at school. He attempted several sports, including boxing, while he was studying at High Point High School. After finishing high school, Funk began studying at the University of Maryland, College Park. After being cut from the golf team, he transferred to Prince George's Community College, but then made a return to the University of Maryland where he earned a place on the Terrapins golf team. After graduating from college with a degree in law enforcement, Funk turned professional, and began working as a golf coach at the University of Maryland.
After turning professional, Funk played a few events on the PGA tour, but did not achieve much success. He became a member of the PGA Tour in 1989. 1990 was not an especially successful year on the Tour, for Funk, although he did tie for third place, at the Chattanooga Classic. The following season, Funk went on to achieve top 10 finishes in five tournaments.
Funk achieved his first real breakthrough on the PGA Tour in 1992. This included the achievement of his first win on the PGA Tour, at the Shell Houston Open. It was three years before Funk achieved his second win on the PGA Tour, at the Ideon Classic, for which he earned $180,000. His third Tour win followed just a couple of months later, at the Buick Challenge. 2005 saw Funk achieving his biggest win on the PGA Tour, at The Players Championship.
When Funk turned 50, in 2006, he became eligible to play on the Champions Tour. He first played on the tour, at the US Senior Open that year. Although he was now playing on the Champions tour, Funk still managed to achieve a further win on the PGA Tour, at the Mayakoba Golf Classic at Riviera Maya-Cancun, in 2007. The event was an alternate so none of the world’s top 64 players were in attendance. This success was followed, in 2008, by a win at the Players Championship.
Although Funk underwent knee replacement surgery in 2009 he continued to play, and won the US Senior Open the same year.
Away from golf, Funk is a family man. He has three children, one from his first marriage and two from his current marriage to Sharon. His son, Taylor Christian, inherited a love of golf from his father.
As of the end of 2014, Funk had achieved eight wins on the PGA Tour, amassing total prize money of $21,130,323.
