Funk Listens to Swing Coach

Filed in archive Golf News on January 12, 2008

Courtesy: AP
The golf media could have some fun with this one.

Fred Funk seems to have a new swing coach with him at the Sony Open in Hawaii.

This is not a person known in professional golf circles as a swing doctor, however.

In fact, it could be the first time a male professional has a female coaching him.

It is, I'll bet you, the first time a tour pro has received coaching from his wife during a tournament. And talked about it.

Funk's wife, Sharon, noticed a swing flaw in her hubby's backswing during the opening round of the Sony on Thursday when he fired a decent 69.

She told him about it, offered a suggestion and Funk shot a 64 on Friday.

"He was trying to take his arms back and his body wasn't leading the legs," Sharon said.

"His arms were back and then he was flipping them. I just said 'turn your back to the target and you'll get a better turn', and he immediately started doing it."
Funk had this to say: "It ended up being a thought that I could picture and that's key with me. I just had to really be patient on my backswing, which I wasn't doing. That's what she was saying. Basically, it looked like I was cutting everything short and rushing down with my arms. Just get your back to the target. That was just a pretty simple tip."

Entering Saturday's round, Funk was in contention. It pays to listen to one's wife.