Fred Funk wins again after six years

Fred Funk is a winner in Mississippi again.

Funk birdied the final hole to finish off a final-round 6-under 66 and win the Southern Farm Bureau Classic by a stroke Sunday, his first PGA Tour victory in six years.

``There are just so many great things that go along with winning,'' Funk said. ``And there just aren't that many good things, except the money, that go along with finishing second.''

The 48-year-old U.S. Ryder Cup player tied a course record at Annandale Golf Club with a 22-under 266 to win for the sixth time in his career and the first time since he won here in 1998.

After he left his 75-foot eagle putt short on 18, he sank a 4-foot putt to win, then pumped his fist and screamed ``Yes!'' as the gallery cheered.

It was a big win for Funk, who fell from the top 50 and didn't qualify for the American Express Championship in Ireland.

``It's been a long, long road since '98,'' Funk said.

Funk had seven birdies and a bogey to become the second two-time Tour winner at the par-72, 7,199-yard course. He surged to the top of the leaderboard with a 64 on Saturday, and held off Ryan Palmer in the final round for his sixth Tour victory.

Palmer had his first top-10 finish on the tour. He had a chance to go to 22-under on 18, but he left his 49-foot eagle putt 5 inches short and tapped in for birdie.

``I thought it was in 10 feet from the hole,'' he said.

Funk, who earned $540,000, joined Brian Henninger (1994, '99) as two-time winners at Annandale.

He predicted after the second round that he would need to close with consecutive rounds of 7-under to have a chance, then was 14-under during the final two days.

``Carnac,'' Funk quipped, referring to Johnny Carson's famously clairvoyant character.

``I had 22-under as my target score,'' he added. ``But you know you've got to make birdies.''

Playing in the afternoon's final pairing, Funk said he tried to keep his eyes off the leaderboard, but he inadvertently caught a glimpse of it while he was on the back nine.

``I wondered 'Where did all these (under) 20s come from?''' Funk said. ``I figured somebody would get to 21 for sure.''

Funk shared the course record set in 2000 by Steve Lowery and Skip Kendall, and finished in the top 10 for the fourth time at the tournament. In addition to his 1998 victory, the former University of Maryland coach tied for sixth in the 2000 tournament and was third in 2001.

It also was Funk's sixth top-10 finish on the tour this year; he finished second in Milwaukee in July.

Palmer, who won once on the Nationwide Tour last year, shot a 64 and earned $324,000.

Glen Day (63), Loren Roberts (65), J.J. Henry (65) and Kevin Na (64) were two strokes back at 268. Kirk Triplett (66) was three strokes behind Funk.

Day, a native of Poplarville, Miss., who entered the weekend 146th on the money list, had six birdies and eagled the par-5 5th.

``I played just like I played all week long,'' Day said. ``I just made a few putts and I hit a lot of real good putts today that just didn't go in. I played the same way I played the first day, and not unlike I played the other two days. Sometimes it goes in, sometimes it doesn't.''

He opened the tournament by sharing the lead, then had consecutive 70s. Day earned $144,000 after closing his final round with two birdies, playing it safe on 18 and reaching the green in three strokes.

``He's under the gun, and he shot a low round when he needed to have it,'' Roberts said. ``Guys are fighting for their card, guys are just hanging on the edge, trying to get it done.''

Steve Pate and Chris Couch both fell off the pace after starting Sunday one stroke behind Funk.

Couch shot a 70 and finished at 271, and Pate shot a 74 and finished at 275

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