La Quinta, Calif. – He who wears the skirt laughs last.
Proving he’s one of the best sports around, Fred Funk wore a pink flowered skirt for the third hole of the Skins Game on Saturday, his penalty for being outdriven by Annika Sorenstam.
Funk then ended one of the silliest front nines ever by sinking a 25-foot eagle putt from the fringe to win $225,000 and six skins.
“It was beyond expectations,” said the 49-year-old Funk, who was making his Skins Game debut. “I was a nervous wreck on one, then I had to pull the skirt out on three, and that was a lot of fun. It was just an unbelievable front nine.”
Tiger Woods was the only other member of the foursome to cash in during the first nine holes, winning three skins and $75,000 on No. 3, the hole that had everyone laughing.
Woods ignited a battle of the sexes by telling Funk that he’d never hear the end of it if Sorenstam outdrove him even once.
Funk, known for his short but straight tee shots, told Sorenstam a few weeks ago that he’d wear the skirt for an entire hole if she outdrove him. He just didn’t imagine having to wear it so early.
After coming close on the first two holes, Sorenstam outdrove Funk by 7 yards on the par-5 third. Because of the angle, Funk’s ball technically was closer to the hole. But Sorenstam’s ball had sailed 278 yards off the tee and Funk’s 271 yards.
“I hit it right into the hill; it just didn’t roll anywhere,” Funk said.
Sorenstam pulled the skirt out of her bag and the easygoing Funk gamely pulled it on over his pants.
“It’s Funky’s idea,” said Sorenstam, who’s coming off a 10-win season on the LPGA Tour. “I thought it was a great idea. I said, ‘I’m in, I’m cool.’ It was just a matter of when. I was hoping it would be sooner rather than later. ”
Before hitting his approach shot, Funk got into the spirit of the gag by rolling up his pants legs. Later, Sorenstam autographed the skirt, with Funk still in it.
“I was hoping it wasn’t going to come out quite so early,” Funk said. “I never really realized how hard it is to line up a putt with a skirt on. Especially with Tiger looking from the other end. That was a lot of fun, though.”
While marking his ball on the green, “I almost pulled a groin trying to get down there,” Funk said.
Australian Open: Australia’s Robert Allenby increased his lead to five strokes despite a painful right-hand injury that might force him to withdraw from the tournament in Fingal.
