Stafford, Va. – The Middle Atlantic PGA Section is proud to announce the selection of PGA Professional Fred Funk to the MAPGA Hall of Fame Class of 2018. He will be inducted into the Hall of Fame in March 2018.
After turning professional in 1981 upon graduation from the University of Maryland, Fred Funk became the golf coach at Maryland from 1982-1988. He was an accomplished player in MAPGA events, winning the MAPGA Professional Championship three years in a row (1987-89), the Maryland Open in 1983 and 1987, and both the MAPGA Assistant Professional Championship and National PGA Assistant Professional Championship in 1984. He won several additional events, including the year-ending MAPGA Tournament of Champions in 1984 and 1988. He was also the MAPGA Player of the Year in 1983.
Funk made it to the PGA TOUR in 1989, playing in 29 events. However, he broke through in 1992 with his first PGA Tour win. In May of that year he captured the Shell Houston Open with a 16-under score for a two-stroke win over Kirk Triplett and winnings of $216,000. In 2005, Funk scored his biggest PGA Tour win when he captured The Players Championship, also becoming its oldest winner at 48 years, 9 months, 14 days. He earned $1.44 million for the win.
In total, Funk has won eight times on the PGA TOUR, and nine times on the PGA Champions Tour, including three Champions Tour Majors (2009 US Senior Open, 2008 & 2010 JELD-WEN Tradition). He represented his country as a member of the USA Ryder Cup team in 2004, and the Presidents Cup in 2003 and 2005.
One of Funk’s lasting legacies with the MAPGA is the scholarship fund in his name. Funk used a portion of his charitable dollars from the 2005 Presidents Cup team to help fund and endow the MAPGA Family Scholarships. The Bill Deck/Fred Funk Family Scholarships annually gives educational funding to children and grandchildren of MAPGA members.
Funk was born in Takoma Park, Md., and earned his PGA membership in 1986. He is married to wife, Sharon, and has three adult children: Eric, Taylor and Perri. He currently resides in Ponta Vedra Beach, Fl.
Contact:
Ethan Brady
ebrady@pgahq.com
