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Press Box
Paul Arnett
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Unless sponsors step up, Funk may not have a title to defend
It's hard not to feel a little sorry for Fred Funk. He's fresh off a win at the final MasterCard Championship and is the defending champion at this week's last Turtle Bay Championship. The guy finally finds a couple of golf courses that suit his game -- and they're coming to an end.
The feeling these days is an unnamed South Korean company is being courted to keep the prestigious winners-only event at Hualalai; one of the more beautiful locations on the Kona Coast, but Turtle Bay is facing its final destination.
You've got to give this tournament some real credit. It's remained alive for nearly this entire century without a real title sponsor. And given the current state of affairs for many title sponsorships nationwide, it will be hard to keep the first full-field event of the Champions Tour here in the islands.
Much to Funk's chagrin.
He almost pleaded for somebody to come forward with a big suitcase full of cash because the players love the Four Seasons Resort at Hualalai. What's not to like? You rarely see anybody from anywhere. The exclusivity of it is appealing to men, who have spent a good deal of their careers in the spotlight.
And the pay is good. Just ask Funk. He won $300,000 by rallying past Allen Doyle like a fast-closing thoroughbred negotiating the stretch drive at Churchill Downs. Trailing by four shots with 11 holes to go, Funk made all the right moves at just the right times to keep Doyle down.
Sure, there were a couple of missteps by Funk that kept things interesting. A pair of 4-5 footers for birdie either lipped out or missed the hole entirely. It's something maybe Bernhard Langer or Jay Haas would have taken advantage of had they been a shot or two closer. But the chip-in from just off the green at the 17th and the 7-footer for birdie that followed at No. 18 led to his third Champions Tour win in 14 starts, including two in Hawaii.
"We've got to keep these tournaments here," Funk said on more than one occasion after the thrilling win. His bunker shot from 155 yards at the closing hole landed about 7 feet from the cup, giving Funk his biggest win yet with the old guys.
But after this week, will we ever see this collection of golfers again? The Big Island fans came out in force on Sunday, crowding around the 18th green to get perhaps a last look at Lee Trevino, Tom Watson, Tom Kite, Hale Irwin, Curtis Strange, Lanny Wadkins and Ben Crenshaw, not to mention Langer, Haas, Funk and John Cook. Paul Azinger joins the senior citizens soon, giving fans of the older set something to look forward to in the years ahead.
Granted, there is a sense of hope that the Big Island event will land a sponsor. But what's made it good for golf fans on Oahu, most of those guys from this elite field hang around for another weekend in Hawaii. That appears to be in real jeopardy, especially when considering the guys who own Turtle Bay have filed for bankruptcy protection.
There just aren't too many golf tournaments left in their future, meaning either the state of Hawaii has to kick in some cash or help find somebody who can. If not, the show is over at the North Shore, leaving Funk or whoever wins this weekend, without a title to defend.
Sports Editor
Paul Arnett has been covering sports for the Star-Bulletin since 1990. Reach him at
parnett@starbulletin.com.