POTOMAC -- The final round of the Kemper Open turned into bridesmaid revisited yesterday at the TPC at Avenel. The ghosts who have swallowed up a number of past third-round leaders made Fred Funk their latest victim.
What has happened to other journeyman players with lesser credentials in recent years happened to the former University of Maryland coach. And what has happened to other up-and-coming players happened to Stuart Appleby.
Funk not only opened the door for Appleby over the first five holes, but he gave him the keys to the house, as well. But if Funk fell out of contention early, Appleby didn't secure his second PGA Tour victory until his approach shot to the last hole. Holding a one-stroke lead over Scott Hoch going into the final hole after missing a short birdie putt, Appleby drew a 3-iron into the wind and rain from 200 yards away. The ball stopped 15 feet from the cup, and Appleby two-putted to preserve the victory.
"It's a scenario most players probably see, having to gut it out to win the tournament," said Appleby, who had led by as many as four shots midway through the round. "Very rarely do you get to coast home with three or four holes to play. It's very satisfying doing what I did."
It gave the 27-year-old Australian a round of 1-over-par 72, a four-round total of 10-under-par 274 and a first-place check for $360,000. Hoch climbed into second place with a 1-under-par 70 and Funk finished in a five-way tie for third at 6-under-par 278 after a 6-over-par 77.
"I couldn't have had a nightmare as bad as that start," said Funk, 41, who took home a $90,200 consolation prize. "I don't know what happened. If you had told me before that I would have
finished third at the Kemper Open, I would have taken it. But this is disappointing."
Funk had taken himself out of contention by playing those five holes in 6-over par. It was as painful as watching Mark Wiebe miss short par putts on the last two holes a year ago to lose to Justin Leonard at Avenel or Bobby Wadkins hitting a tree and making a costly double-bogey in 1994.
"What happened today was nerves," said Funk, who has won four times in his 10-year career and was trying to go wire-to-wire for the second time. "I wanted it too much. I felt fine on the range, but I think it got to me. I didn't rise to the occasion. When I've had the lead before, I've always won. It would have been easier doing it somewhere else."
