Veteran Funk outlasts rookie Palmer
BY Bruce Young | US PGA Tour | 2004 Southern Farm Bureau Classic | Wrap | 04 Oct 2004
In what was a nail-biting finish, where anyone of nine or ten players still had a chance to win the tournament with nine holes to go, Fred Funk made the crucial birdie when it was needed and emerged the winner of the Southern Farm Bureau Classic in Madison, Mississippi.
First season player Ryan Palmer, who had done well enough in 2004 to be assured of at least limited status in 2005, appeared headed for, at worst, a playoff until Funk gazumped him with a last hole birdie. After all, Palmer had recorded ten birdies in the final round but the two bogeys he made through the middle of the back nine would cost him dearly.
For both Funk and Palmer however it was a win/win day. Funk won his first USPGA Tour event since the 1998 Deposit Guaranty Classic and for Palmer the US$324,000 takes him well past any concerns about full status in 2005. He has now moved to 87th on the money list with US$816,000. Palmer has found some good form in recent starts and having already shown a capacity to win on both the Hooters and Nationwide Tours, he is not unaccustomed to contention, but this is of course at a different level.
Palmer was first to reach 21 under today when he recorded his tenth birdie of the day at the last but was then forced to wait for Funk, who was playing three groups behind him, to finish off his round. Funk tackled the last hole with a brave second that finished just off the front edge and he managed to get up and down, holing a three footer for the birdie to break clear of Palmer.
Funk is having yet another stellar year on the USPGA Tour, this win taking him to US$1.94 million, still short of his US$2.38 in 2002, but importantly he has won. He also played Ryder Cup for the first time this year so it has been a very important year for the 48-year-old.
A large group shared fourth namely Glen Day, Loren Roberts, J.J. Henry and the youthful Kevin Na who is in his rookie year. The 21-year-old US based Korean, Na has assured himself of status on the PGA Tour in 2005.
Of the Australasians Greg Chalmers was best in 10th place but it could have been much better. When Chalmers got to 19 under through ten holes today, he was sharing the lead, but as he bogeyed twice over the closing holes others were moving past him and the last few holes cost him a lot of money and a golden opportunity to improve his rather desperate position on the money list. With only US$344,000 in prize-money, including his US$72,000 here, and in 153rd place on the money list, he still needs a further boost to get inside the top 125.
Rod Pampling stormed home with a last round 64 to finish 14th, alongside Steve Allan and John Senden, further highlighting his brilliant season. Craig Perks was 62nd and Grant Waite 65th.
The USPGA Tour now heads to Las Vegas for the Michelin Championship of Las Vegas.
