| Potomac,
Md. 5th June 1998
- Fred Funk broke the 36-hole scoring record in the
Kemper Open with a 12-under-par 130 as he shot a 66 today to take a three-stroke
lead over Stuart Appleby, Craig Parry and Chris DiMarco into the weekend.
The TPC at Avenel was virtually
helpless on a windless day, rolling over feebly as player after player attacked.
There were 21
eagles plus three holes-in-one. Brad
Elder, playing in just his third event since turning pro, shot a course record-tying
63 and was at 8-under-par 134. Parry also matched the record with a 63. Brian
Kamm made a hole-in-one on the 202-yard 17th hole with a 5-iron for his third
eagle of the day, becoming just the 10th player since 1970 to make three eagles
in a round. He shot a 66 and was among five players at 135, including defending
champion Justin Leonard, who also had an ace. "It's
the kind of course that just sets up for dramatics,'' Funk said after he made
five birdies and no bogeys and continued his remarkable play just days after laser
eye surgery earlier this week to improve his vision. "It
is a golf course that gives you a lot of shots at birdie,'' Funk said after breaking
the 36-hole record by one stroke. "It funnels well.'' Virtually
everyone took their shot and many found the funnel. Funk
played what he called "a good, patient round of golf'' and made a series
of solid putts, including a 25-footer, two 20-footers and a 15-footer for birdies.
Appleby's round
sizzled early. Playing the back nine first, he rolled in a 15-foot birdie putt
on No. 11 and then hit a 1-iron from 240 yards to 12 feet on No. 13 and made it
for an eagle. He
followed that with three consecutive birdies, all on putts from about 15 feet,
and turned his first nine in 29 strokes. Parry came back in 34, including a two-putt
birdie from 25 feet on the par-5 sixth hole. "It
wasn't very tough today because there was no wind,'' Appleby said. "If you
haven't got the wind you can hit the same shot over and over and over again. With
no wind you take the guessing out of it.'' Parry
managed a 66 for his 133 total despite two bogeys, closing with three birdies
on the final final holes. DiMarco
shot a 65 despite two bogeys to get a share of second place at 133. Kamm's
first eagle came on the 520-yard sixth hole when he hit a 5-iron to nine feet
and the second was on No. 13, a 524-yard hole, when he hit a 6-iron from 200 yards
to 30 feet and made the putt. Elder,
who finished his final exams at the University of Texas on May 12, played the
back nine first and got his round going with an eagle on No. 13 when he hit a
3-wood second shoot to 20 feet. He
made three consecutive birdies beginning at No. 15 and birdied three out of four
holes beginning on No. 5 as he matched the course record. "Sixty-three
is my best score ever,'' Elder said. "It's hard for a college player to come
out here and be ready to win.'' Funk
has been on the PGA Tour full time since 1989 and has won four times. But he has
never played well in the Kemper Open, which is virtually in the Maryland native's
backyard. "I
just want to post a good number tomorrow and get into good position for Sunday,''
he said. "And then we'll see what happens.'' If
today was any indication, it will take a lot of birdies - and perhaps an eagle
or two - to win on the weekend. Divots:
R.W. Eaks was disqualified when he failed to sign his scorecard after shooting
a 75 in the first round. ... Chip Beck, one of only two players to shoot a 59
on the PGA Tour, missed his 37th consecutive cut. ... Steve Elkington, playing
his first tournament in a month since contracting viral meningitis, missed the
cut with a 150. ... John Daly also missed the cut at 146. The
par-71 course measures 7,005 yards. First prize is $360,000
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