Local favorite Funk seeking redemption for ‘98 nightmare

The memories still linger in Fred Funk’s mind, even five years after the fact.

Funk remembers the 1998 Kemper Open all too well. How he put together two of the best rounds of his golf life (64-66) to take a three-stroke lead into the weekend at TPC at Avenel. And how he proceeded to give it all back with a disastrous 77 on Sunday, spoiling the Takoma Park native and former Maryland golf coach’s dream of winning his hometown tournament.

For five years, he’s been itching to make up for his Sunday swoon. And after shooting a 5-under 66 yesterday to move into a fourth-place tie at the renamed Capital Open, Funk finally has his chance.

“I definitely want this one,” Funk said after completing his best round at Avenel since the second-round in 1998. “That one is still in the back of my mind. I wanted it so bad that I just didn’t relax on Sunday and lost it early. I had a little bit of nerves going and I just didn’t handle it well early in the round.”

The local favorite looked as cool as they come on the course yesterday. Buoyed all afternoon by spirited galleries that were clearly in his corner, Funk went out and birdied four of the first six holes using a belly putter for the first time in two years. By the time he drained a 4-footer for birdie on the par-4 14th, he found himself at 6 under for the day and only one stroke off the lead.

Funk hit a huge snag on No.15, barely getting out of the rough on his second shot and barely getting out of a bunker on his fifth and then needing to make a 15-footer from the fringe to salvage a double bogey 6.

“It was like an out-of-body experience,” he said.

Funk rallied down the stretch, though. He made pars on Nos.16 and 17 and then thrilled the crowd with a 15-footer for birdie on the 18th to put himself into a six-way tie for fourth at 7 under, four strokes behind leader Rory Sabbatini.

“It was one of those what-if rounds. I really had a 61 or 62 today turn into a 66,” said Funk, who had four second-place and two fourth-place finishes (including the PGA Championship) in 2002. “In one regard, it’s a lot of positives. In another regard, I don’t feel that great about the 66 because I let a really good round go today.”

This much is certain: Funk does not plan to let the pressure he experienced five years ago get to him again today.

“I’ll be more relaxed and just go out and play,” he said. “Hopefully I’ve got a little salty, old veteran in me. I’m hitting the ball really well right now, and if I can set them up like I did [yesterday], who knows what’s going to happen?”

Parking infuriates patrons

With all makeshift public parking lots at TPC at Avenel flooded from this week’s various downpours, thousands of Capital Open spectators were forced yesterday to wait up to two hours for shuttle buses to and from the satellite lot in Bethesda.

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