Set-up of Greens Draws Players’ Ire
Funk passes test to keep lead at U.S. Senior Open
By Gary Baines
Colorado Golf Journal, Friday, August 1, 2008
A large black bear drew plenty of attention during Friday’s second round of the U.S. Senior Open at the Broadmoor.
After walking across the 13th fairway of the East Course,
it departed through drainage pipes on the West Course.
COLORADO SPRINGS -- Two World Golf Hall of Famers questioned the severity of Friday’s pin placements for the U.S. Senior Open at the Broadmoor, prompting the U.S. Golf Association to defend its set-up of the greens.
Some of the world’s best senior players looked anything but elite-level on the heavily sloped, extremely fast greens on the East Course. For example, Tom Kite and Ian Woosnam putted their balls off the green on the par-3 eighth hole.
“The USGA put some pin placements on us today that almost defy the imagination,” said Kite, the 1992 U.S. Open champion. “… The greens are just so treacherous. … Golly, what are they thinking about on No. 8?”
Later, Greg Norman chimed in, without directly chiming in.
“I’m not going to make a comment about the golf course; the USGA should know better,” Norman said after a bogey-bogey finish Friday.
And from John Cook, one of just five players under par at the midway point of the tournament: “The course is right on the edge. There’s no doubt. … It was all I could do to survive.“
With such criticism, the USGA brought Jim Hyler, chairman of the USGA championship committee, into the media center to discuss the course set-up.
He said the course on Friday, though very
difficult, was “well within the tolerance level. ” Still, he noted that the wind on Friday afternoon dried out the course and that more watering was planned Friday night as a result. Syringing of some greens was done between the morning and afternoon waves of tee times on Friday.
“We’ll do anything possible to keep (the course) from getting closer to the edge,” Hyler said.
One guy who dealt well with the tough conditions was leader Fred Funk. On a day when a large black bear drew much of the attention at the U.S. Senior Open, Funk clawed his way to a two-shot advantage at the halfway point at the Broadmoor.
The 52-year-old Floridian battled a neck that stiffened after his first tee shot of the day and found himself 3 over par after eight holes. But thanks to a mid-round visit by a physical therapist, and some strong play down the stretch, he rallied to shoot a 1-under-par 69.
Funk was feeling fine on the practice round before Friday’s round, but things went downhill after he teed off on the par-4 10th, his first hole of the day. That’s when his neck started giving him fits.
“It just kept grabbing and grabbing and I really couldn’t get through the ball,” Funk said. “I kept missing shots to the right with the driver. I got treated on (holes) 1, 2 and 3. My wife got the (physical therapist) out and she kind of saved me.”
By the time Funk reached hole 3, a 560-yard par-5, he was feeling pretty good, apparently. He reached the green with driver and 6-iron.
ESPN on-course reporter “Roger Maltbie comes out and says, ‘Whatever is wrong with your neck, I want to have it,’” Funk said.
Funk, winner of eight PGA Tour events and three more on the Champions circuit, made four birdies and no bogeys on his final 10 holes to finish at 6-under 134. Argentina’s Eduardo Romero, winner of a Champions Tour event a month ago in New York, continued his strong play with a 69 that left him two back of Funk. Two double-digit tournament winners on the PGA Tour -- Kite and Cook -- along with Mark McNulty are tied for third, four behind Funk.
Romero finished a shot out of a playoff Sunday at the Senior British Open, and may be ready to join Argentine countryman Robert De Vicenzo as a winner of the U.S. Senior Open.
“I have a lot of confidence,” Romero said. “It’s my dream to win this tournament, and I’m in very good shape. My game is fantastic.”
Norman, who finished third two weeks ago at the British Open, trails Funk by eight shots after a third-round 72.
Unlike some of the players who teed off in the morning, Funk didn’t see the black bear that was walking around on the 13th hole at about noon, before it departed through two drainage pipes.
“Nicklaus (the Golden Bear) isn’t here, so I guess that’s a substitute,” Funk said. “No, I never heard of such a thing (as a bear wondering around during a tournament).”
Noting that he heard that officials were considering tranquilizing the bear, Funk said, “It would be pretty scary if it got a little panicky and some spectator or some of the golfers were too close.”
