Taylor Funk shot four rounds in the 60s to tie Davis Lamb for medalist in an opening PGA Tour qualifying stop last week at Bermuda Run Country Club in North Carolina.
Funk, from the Times Union high school player of the year in 2013, when he led Ponte Vedra to a state championship, opened with a 68, shot middle rounds of 67-67 and closed with a 69 for a final score of 13-under 271.
Funk, a former University of Texas player, and Lamb, a former Notre Dame player, advanced to one of five Stage 2 qualifiers beginning in late November. Players participating in these qualifiers will compete in the final stage, the PGA Tour Q School presented by Korn Ferry December 12-15 at TPC Sawgrass Dye’s Valley and Sawgrass Country Club.
Funk played in the finals last year and finished tied for 97th.
Chris Baker of Jacksonville survived three bogeys on the back nine and was among a nine-way tie for 15th place at 3 under to advance to the second stage.
In other stage one qualifying completed last week:
-
Christian Salzer, who played at NC State, shot 66 in the final round at the Preserver at Ironwood in West Palm Beach to win by two shots at 16-under 272.
-
John Greco, a 30-year veteran of the PGA Tour Americas, opened with a 63 and then won by one shot at 19-under 261 at Lake Carolina Golf Club in Madison, Mississippi. Former University of North Florida player Lance Yates advanced by tying for ninth at 5 under.
-
Jake Staiano, who last competed on the Korn Ferry Tour in 2023, posted a seven-shot victory at 13-under 271 on the University of New Mexico course.
-
Veteran mini-tour player Jacob Harper posted a 17-under 271 at Rockwell Golf and Athletic Club in Texas to beat Dawson Armstrong of Jacksonville by three shots.
-
One qualifier remains for the first stage, at the Country Club of Ocala from Oct. 29 to Nov. 1. It was postponed due to Hurricane Milton.
Scottie Scheffler sheds light on the realm of heroes
World No. 1 and two-time reigning Players Champion Scottie Scheffler is among the first 17 players in the field for the Hero World Challenge, the off-season event Woods is hosting Dec. 5-8 at the Albany Club in the Bahamas.
Horschel will also play, Brian Harman from St. Simons Island, Georgia, Aberg, Clark, Matsuyama, Bradley, Kim, Cantlay, Theegala, Sungjae Im, Tony Finau, Aaron Rai, Matthieu Pavon, Robert McIntyre, Sam Burns and Russell Henley.
The field includes five major championship winners (Scheffler, Bradley, Clark, Harman and Matsuyama).
Three additional players will be announced at a later date.
Korn Ferry Tour schedule published
The Korn Ferry Four 2025 schedule will feature 26 stops during its 35th season, spanning seven countries and 17 states.
The tour begins January 12-15 for its two-week Bahamas Swing, at the Ocean Club on Paradise Island and the Abaco Club. Golf Channel will broadcast both events for the first time since 2020.
The tour will then travel to Panama, Colombia, Argentina and Chile. A new event is planned in Mexico, the PGA Riviera Maya Championship, from May 1 to 4.
The Club Car Championship at Landings Golf & Athletic Club in Savannah, Georgia (April 3-6) will be the first national event of the year. Two weeks later will be the Florida Korn Ferry Tour’s only event, the LECOM Suncoast Classic in Lakewood Ranch.
LIV Golf partners with the United Nations Agency
The LIV Golf League has signed a three-year, $10 million commitment with the United Nations Refugee Agency to improve access to sport and education for up to 1 million displaced people from strength in Africa, Asia, Europe and South America. Activities include golf and fun sports.
“We are proud to partner with the United Nations Refugee Agency to positively impact the world through sport,” Greg Norman, CEO and Commissioner of LIV Golf, said in a statement. “LIV Golf’s Unleashed Potential strategy uses golf as a force for positive change, and we are honored to be the first professional golf organization to work hand-in-hand with UNHCR to help implement its meaningful programs and initiatives. »
PGA Tour: the international swing begins in Japan
Event: ZOZO Championship, Thursday-Sunday, Narashino Country Club, Shiba, Japan.
What is the handbag? $8.5 million ($1.53 million and 500 FedEx Cup points for the winner).
Who won last year? Collin Morikawa shot 64 in the first round and 63 in the final round to go home by six shots.
How to watch: Golf Channel (Wednesday/Thursday-Saturday/Sunday, 11 p.m.-3 a.m.).
Registered zone players: Nico Echavarria, Ben Griffin, Ben Kohles, Andrew Novak.
Notable: The short event (78 players) marks the start of a three-event tour in three countries, followed by stops in Mexico and Bermuda. … Leading the pack with Morikawa are Hideki Matsuyama, Xander Schauffele, Saith Theegala, Justin Thomas, Rickie Fowler and Will Zalatoris.
LPGA Tour: Boutier defends her hard-won title in Malaysia
Event: Maybank Championship, Thursday-Sunday, Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club, Malaysia.
What is the handbag? $3 million ($540,000 to the winner).
Who won last year? Céline Boutier outlasted Jeero Thitikul in the nine-hole playoff.
How to watch on TV: NBC Sports app (Wednesday/Thursday-Saturday/Sunday, 9:30 p.m.-2:30 a.m.); Golf Channel (tape delay, Thursday-Sunday, 6:30 p.m.-10:30 p.m.).
Registered zone players: Auston Kim.
Notable: Leading the pack is last week’s winner in South Korea, Hannah Green. Also starring are Lilia Vu, Allisen Corpuz, Jin Young Ko and Ruoning Yin. … The Tour moves to Japan next week and Hawaii a week later before closing with two events in Florida, in Belleair and Naples.
PGA Tour Champions: Schwab Cup Playoffs in Little Rock
Event: Simmons Bank Championship, Friday-Sunday, Pleasant Valley Country Club, Little Rock, Ark.
What is the handbag? $2.3 million ($365,000 to winner).
Who won last year? First year event.
How to watch on TV: Golf Channel (Friday-Sunday, 3 p.m.-6 p.m.).
Registered zone players: Vijay Singh.
Notable: The top 54 on the Charles Schwab Cup money list are moving on. The top 36 after this week will play in the Schwab Cup championship in Phoenix Nov. 7-10. …The only players who can mathematically catch No. 1 Ernie Els are the next five players, Steven Alker, Stephen Ames, Richard Green, KJ Choi and Steve Stricker, although Stricker is not listed this week. … Singh is No. 34 on the points list. … Tim O’Neal of Savannah won last week at the Dominion Energy Charity Classic, his first Champions Tour title in 50 starts.
What are the odds (in golf)?
ZOZO Championship: Hard Rock Bet has Schauffele as the clear favorite at +452. Morikawa is at +700 and Matsuyama at +800.
Simmons Bank Championship: Padraig Harrington is the favorite at +550, followed by Stewart Cink (+650), Alker (+1000) and Els (+1200).
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Taylor Funk advances to second stage of Tour with big week in North Carolina
