Funk takes narrow advantage

PGA Tour veteran Fred Funk's positive approach paid dividends when he carded a one-under-par 69 to move one stroke clear of the field after the third round of the $4.2 million Buick Championship on Saturday.

The 47-year-old American finished nine under on 201, one ahead of Tom Byrum (67) and Corey Pavin (68). Joey Sindelar (68) and Hunter Mahan (65) were two shots off the pace at the TPC at River Highlands.

Sweden's Daniel Chopra, Hidemichi Tanaka of Japan, Argentina's Jose Coceres, Tim Herron, Skip Kendall, Woody Austin, Tom Pernice Jr, Kirk Triplett and Hank Kuehne were a further stroke adrift on 204.

"I played really aggressive all day long, just trying to make as many birdies as I possibly could, and it paid off," Funk told reporters.

"It didn't matter if the pins were in the corners, I went at every single one of them....hopefully I can get in that same frame of mind tomorrow.

"I think what will happen tomorrow is by the time I tee off, somebody is already going to be double figures (under par), more than likely. You've just got to ignore that and go and play."

Funk, who is in the U.S. team for next month's Ryder Cup match against Europe in Detroit, Michigan, began the day tied for the lead with tour rookie Zach Johnson.

The experienced Funk made a fast start with birdies at the opening two holes before slipping back with bogeys at the sixth, seventh and ninth. He also dropped a shot at the 12th but made amends with birdies at the 11th, 14th and 17th.

Johnson, who won his first tour event at the BellSouth Classic in Atlanta in April, bogeyed the third and double-bogeyed the fourth on the way to a 73 for 205.

Pavin, the 1995 U.S. Open champion who has not won on tour since 1996, has enjoyed a renaissance of late, earning three top-15 finishes in his last three events.

He played the front nine in one-under-par and carded the same coming home to remain in title contention.

Byrum, whose previous best result on tour this year was a tie for fourth at the Buick Classic in June, returned five birdies against two bogeys in the third round.

Many players, including Funk, expected Saturday's warm, humid weather to produce lower scores than it did, leaving a total of 19 players within four strokes of the lead.

"I was kind of surprised that somebody didn't shoot really low," Funk said. "Whenever the leaders shoot around even-par, it's obviously pretty bunched up."

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