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MAYAKOBA GOLF CLASSIC AT RIVIERA MAYA - CANCUN

February 24, 2007

Fred Funk

RIVIERA MAYA, MEXICO

MODERATOR: Interview with Fred Funk.

Q. First off, how are you feeling?
FRED FUNK: Actually, after the Total Fitness chiro helped me out at the 12. It's been bothering me all week, but then it actually was fine on the range, then the first tee shot on 1, it went right, just felt this nerve pain going right down my butt and down my leg. And I knew I was in trouble. And I was favoring it all day.
Then it got really bad on a couple of holes. Because it went across my back and I just couldn't even bend over. So any twisting move or bending over was not fun to do. You have to do both when you're swinging the golf club.
So it wasn't good. But he helped me and I was able to get it in and I was really proud of myself for the way I got it finished the last six holes.
A little disappointed there on 12. But other than that it was a good day.

Q. (Off microphone)
FRED FUNK: At this point I wasn't even sure I could even finish. I was actually counting, on the front 9 I'm going through how many full shots, how many full swings if I played the way I normally play or where you're supposed to play. And I was counting it down every hole. It was like I'm down to 14 more shots, I gotta get through these. And when I got to that point I wasn't sure I could even go.
But I was determined to get it in. I didn't know how I was going to get it in the way I was feeling on 12.
But I didn't think he helped me when I was down on the ground, but when I was swinging the club on 13, I hit two of my best shots all week on 13.
So I felt a little better, obviously, after those shots because I was able to go after it a little more coming in and not hurt as much. So I was kind of driving it around.
I was really, on 5, 6, into the wind, and then 8 was downwind. And then just wasn't sure where I was going to even hit it. I waved one down there and rolled a shot in, playing real short and made a bogey there, too.
To shoot 64 the way I felt, that was really good. My short game finally kicked in around the greens because it hasn't been that good. I've been working on it real hard all week and had some key up and downs, down right on the day. 1, 2 and 4, made really nice one birdie, two pars, up and down which was the way to get the round started, otherwise I would have started right behind the 8 ball but that didn't happen.

Q. (Off microphone)
FRED FUNK: He did something. He pressed so hard on the one part where it was bothering me, I felt something pop a little bit. I don't know if it was my hip or his thumb.
But it definitely helped. I was definitely a little more mobile coming in. So hopefully it's not going to be a big deal tomorrow. I don't want to dwell on it. It's just something we deal with out here.
For me it's just a rarity. I've never had lower back problems, and I just got -- it came up on me about two weeks ago and I really don't know from what or why it is. But I don't think it's anything. I think it's just a muscle thing or a strained ligament or something.

Q. (Off microphone)
FRED FUNK: I've had to call several times for shoulder problems or neck problems but never the lower back.

Q. Do you have any expectation of going wire to wire?
FRED FUNK: No, but it would be nice to go wire to wire. That's what I would love to do. We did it at Turtle Bay, I had history, not a recent history on this stuff. I'm comfortable on the greens, and I just got to play well. This is really a good golf course especially when the wind blew the way it did today.
You have hit the ball off the tee, and you have to hit some really good irons, and you gotta deal with some of these greens, some of the greens are really designed with, where they fall off and you have to be careful. Gotta keep going.

Q. Seemed to be a little disappointed on the wedge shots on 17 and 18.
FRED FUNK: 17, I was -- yes, I was shocked it went that far by. But 18 was a bad shot. I had to take quite a bit off of it. I was kind of in between clubs. But I just came over and smother pulled it a little bit and you should hit a wedge a lot closer than that.
But I don't dwell on that either. I did what I did and I was just trying to make the putt and that would have fixed a bad wedge.

Q. What was your major concern?
FRED FUNK: My concern now is hopefully I'll be able to go at it, play, swing with little pain, very little pain. And just play my game. I'll just go out there, try to be (inaudible). That's where I got in the mode today. I just played one shot at a time and made sure I kept the ball in play and gave myself opportunities when I could. And I did that most of the way around.
It was not pretty at times, but very seldom do you hit every shot good. But it was good overall. That's what I need to do tomorrow. I need to go out there and try not to make mistakes, give myself opportunities. Whoever comes up from behind, they have to play really well, I hope. I don't want to just give it to them. I'll go out there. I've been there before and I'm not that nervous about anything.
And my game is really good. I'm real happy with the way I'm playing. I just need to be able to swing at it. That's my big concern right now, get a good night sleep and wake up with my back feeling good.

Q. (Question about player experience)
FRED FUNK: I have to look down the leaderboard. I think it has a good mix. It's a sign of a really good golf course. Look at the top 20, 25 on the leaderboard, it's a mix of power players and guys who hit the ball pretty straight.
I think it's -- I don't think there's ever a substitute for a guy that can hit it a long way. If you've got a guy hitting it a long way, if he's controlling his ball that week, he is tough to beat.
But this golf course, you have to keep as many of those; and when the wind is blowing like it is today, it's pretty easy to hit in there. You get one coming off a little sideways, spinning up in the air, blow it somewhere where you don't want it to be.
You have to be careful out there. And I think it's a very good ball control golf course. But there's definitely some slots where it's huge advantage to have shorter irons into these greens. And a hole like that to me, 12, 13, when they're playing into the wind like they are, and even 3, 4 and 5, really good holes right there.

Q. (Off microphone)
FRED FUNK: I wasn't sure -- I wasn't going to withdraw, but I was wondering how I was going to get in. I was really hurting. I couldn't move. I couldn't bend over. It's hard when you get to the point where I couldn't even bend over to get into my setup. That really scared me when that happened.
It was hurting to rotate. I knew that was coming, but when it came to trying to get into my posture, it was hurting. I knew I was in trouble. So once he came out, it helped a lot. I'm glad I called him. I don't usually like doing that. I don't like making a scene. I don't want to lay on the ground.

Q. (Off microphone)
FRED FUNK: How long? I chipped it about two feet. It was a good chip. I have been working on it all week. Today it was real good. I was happy about that. Two chips in a row made par. But today I finally made a birdie, when the hole was playing its hardest, felt really satisfying doing that. Especially after laying on the ground after 12.

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