Tour News
Fred Funk on his return to the PGA Tour and injuries in pro golf
Eight-time PGA Tour winner Fred Funk knows a thing or two about injuries on golf’s professional circuit. The 57-year-old Tour veteran of 25 years—who is using his career-money list exemption to compete primarily on the PGA Tour this season—had a total right-knee replacement in 2009 following years of pain and multiple surgeries.
According to Funk, who has been a member of the Tour since 1989, repetitive motion injuries are prevalent at golf’s highest level. Any given week on Tour, “there’s a lot of guys who are fighting something,” he says.
And on the Champions Tour, where Funk has split his time for nearly the past decade, “almost everybody’s fighting something.”
Funk himself was “fighting something” significant following two cartilage surgeries in 2007. As a result of the surgeries, he was left with bone on bone in his right knee. By May of 2008, Funk says, “my knee started deteriorating…getting worse and worse. It started building up a lot of fluid. I had it drained 18 times.” The final two drainings came in quick succession, following a dangerous staph infection the golfer contracted after the 16th draining.
After surgery and a period recovery, Funk played the 2009 season, winning the U.S. Senior Open Championship and competing in 27 events between the two tours. However, as Funk says, by the end of the season, he’d had enough and continued deterioration made a knee replacement imperative.
As the fan-favorite said regarding the decision to have his right knee replaced with a Stryker GetAroundKnee: “I didn’t hesitate. My career was done if I didn’t.”
Funk had the surgery without incident. Within six weeks, he was hitting full shots, and he returned to competition three months later. At this point in his career, the replacement knee is an afterthought, which the golfer describes as “a good copy of what God gave you,” adding that the knee “takes a beating but has stood the test of time so far.”
The Maryland native has won three times on the Champions Tour with the GetAroundKnee. The feat earns him a spot on a very short list of golfers who have won tournaments with two different knees.
Presently, he’s that list’s only member.
On playing with injury in general on the PGA Tour, Funk says, “It’s difficult to play at the highest level if you have an injury because you do overcompensate. You end getting into some bad habits and it’s in the back of your mind.”
It doesn’t take much for a golfer’s swing to become slightly off, and “slightly off” can mean the difference between winning and losing, or between making and missing a cut. Thus, as Funk says, “You see a lot of guys in the trailer. Icing their backs or their knees or getting something worked on.”
The 57-year-old, long one of the most accurate drivers on Tour, feels that today’s power game, with its imperative that players swing hard to maximize distance, contributes to the overuse injuries that plague professional golfers.
Thus, according to Funk, “A lot of [the treatment] is preventative. You’re trying to do everything to not get hurt…trying to get strong and stretch out…you try to keep as flexible as you can.”
The recent marriage of golf and fitness, as well as the incredible amount of money golfers compete for on the PGA Tour has led to a certain systemization. As Funk says, “Everybody—even the young guys—have a pretty big ritual that they go through. Most of them have personal trainers…and they go through pre-round warm-up…before they even get to the range.”
For most golfers on Tour, of course, the end of the round isn’t the end of the workday. In addition to returning to the range to work on their games, most pros do a post-round workout or stretching.
And of course, Funk noted another relatively recent development: The Herculean labor of keeping Tour professionals’ bodies healthy and games finely honed isn’t solely their responsibility. As Funk says, “There’s an entourage around a lot of these guys. They have everybody.”
While all of this may seem excessive, and a significant departure from the days of Ben Hogan finding his secret in the dirt and wrapping his battered legs in ace bandages, it’s all in service of gaining the elusive competitive advantage.
As Funk says, “It’s such a fine line between success and failure out here, they’re trying to do whatever they can to get an edge.”
It’s one thing for a golfer to find the competitive edge that helps him accumulate victories or climb up the FedExCup points list. However, it’s another to require surgery merely to be able to compete professionally, as we’ve seen most visibly in recent years with Tiger Woods’ multiple injuries, or Tom Watson or Peter Jacobsen’s hip replacements.
Fred Funk found himself in this undesirable camp in 2009. Fortunately, some five years later, he’s primarily playing on the PGA Tour thanks to his successful knee replacement.
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Tour Photo Galleries
Photos from the 2024 PGA Championship
GolfWRX is on site this week at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky, for the PGA Championship.
While we see fewer equipment changes and new gear seeding at major championships, we get a look at custom gear and looks into the bags of players we rarely see, which is just as exciting. In the case of the PGA Championship, this means a look at the gear some of the PGA Professionals who qualified for the tournament will be gaming, and LIV players, such as Jon Rahm and Patrick Reed.
Check out links to all our albums from Valhalla below and check back throughout the week as we continue to update.
General Albums
WITB Albums
- Michael Block – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Patrick Reed – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Cam Smith – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Brooks Koepka – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Josh Speight – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Takumi Kanaya – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Kyle Mendoza – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Adrian Meronk – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Jordan Smith – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Jeremy Wells – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Jared Jones – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- John Somers – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Larkin Gross – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Tracy Phillips – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Jon Rahm – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Keita Nakajima – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Kazuma Kobori – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- David Puig – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Ryan Van Velzen – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Brad Marek – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Chris Gotterup – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Rich Beem WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Phil Mickelson – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Matt Dobyns – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Lucas Herbert – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Jason Dufner – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- John Daly – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Taylor Gooch – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Dean Burmester – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Joaquin Niemann – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Dustin Johnson – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
Pullout Albums
- Ping putter covers – 2024 PGA Championship
- Bettinardi covers – 2024 PGA Championship
- Cameron putter covers – 2024 PGA Championship
- Max Homa – Titleist 2 wood – 2024 PGA Championship
- Scotty Cameron experimental putter shaft by UST – 2024 PGA Championship
- Joaquin Niemann – new Ping putter – 2024 PGA Championship
- Brooks Koepka’s new Cameron putter – 2024 PGA Championship
- Rickie Fowler’s Cobra bag and Aerojet driver – 2024 PGA Championship
- Super Stroke grip – 2024 PGA Championship
- Tiger Woods – 2024 PGA Championship
- Michael Block’s new TaylorMade “Proto” 7-iron, from address – 2024 PGA Championship
- Odyssey putter covers – 2024 PGA Championship
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News
Photos from the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship
GolfWRX is live this week at the Wells Fargo Championship as a field of the world’s best golfers descend upon Charlotte, North Carolina, hoping to tame the beast that is Quail Hollow Club in this Signature Event — only Scottie Scheffler, who is home awaiting the birth of his first child, is absent.
From the grounds at Quail Hollow, we have our usual assortment of general galleries and WITBs — including a look at left-hander Akshay Bhatia’s setup. Among the pullout albums, we have a look inside Cobra’s impressive new tour truck for you to check out. Also featured is a special look at Quail Hollow king, Rory McIlroy.
Be sure to check back throughout the week as we add more galleries.
General Albums
- 2024 Wells Fargo Championship – Monday #1
- 2024 Wells Fargo Championship – Tuesday #1
- 2024 Wells Fargo Championship – Tuesday #2
WITB Albums
- Akshay Bhatia – WITB – 2024 Wells Fargo Championship
- Matthieu Pavon – WITB – 2024 Wells Fargo Championship
- Keegan Bradley – WITB – 2024 Wells Fargo Championship
- Webb Simpson – WITB – 2024 Wells Fargo Championship
- Emiliano Grillo – WITB – 2024 Wells Fargo Championship
- Taylor Pendrith – WITB – 2024 Wells Fargo Championship
- Kevin Tway – WITB – 2024 Wells Fargo Championship
Pullout Albums
- New Cobra equipment truck – 2024 Wells Fargo Championship
- Rory McIlroy – 2024 Wells Fargo Championship
- New Cobra equipment truck – 2024 Wells Fargo Championship
- Eric Cole’s custom Cameron putter – 2024 Wells Fargo Championship
- Custom Cameron putter – 2024 Wells Fargo Championship
- Matt Kuchar’s custom Bettinardi – 2024 Wells Fargo Championship
- Justin Thomas – driver change – 2024 Wells Fargo Championship
- Rickie Fowler – putter change – 2024 Wells Fargo Championship
- Rickie Fowler’s new custom Odyssey Jailbird 380 putter – 2024 Wells Fargo Championship
- Tommy Fleetwood testing a TaylorMade Spider Tour X (with custom neck) – 2024 Wells Fargo Championship
- Cobra Darkspeed Volition driver – 2024 Wells Fargo Championship
See what GolfWRXers are saying about our Wells Fargo Championship photos in the forums.
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Tour Photo Galleries
Photos from the 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
GolfWRX is on site this week in McKinney, Texas, at the 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson (FKA the AT&T Byron Nelson).
Last year at TPC Craig Ranch, Jason Day ended a five-year winless streak. J-Day is in the field again, as are Jordan Spieth, Tom Kim, and Will Zalatoris.
We have our usual assortment of general galleries, WITBs, and pullout albums for your perusal. As always, we’ll continue to add links to additional albums as they make their way to us from the Lone Star State.
Check out links to all our photos below.
General Albums
- 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson – Monday #1
- 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson – Monday #2
- 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson – Tuesday #1
- 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson – Tuesday #2
- 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson – Tuesday #3
WITB Albums
- Pierceson Coody – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Kris Kim – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- David Nyfjall – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Adrien Dumont de Chassart – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Jarred Jetter – North Texas PGA Section Champ – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Richy Werenski – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Wesley Bryan – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Parker Coody – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Peter Kuest – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Blaine Hale, Jr. – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Kelly Kraft – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Rico Hoey – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
Pullout Albums
- Adam Scott’s 2 new custom L.A.B. Golf putters – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Scotty Cameron putters – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Ben Griffin playing Maxfli golf ball
See what GolfWRXers are saying in the forums.
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Bob Forberg
Sep 26, 2014 at 4:42 pm
I had both my knees replaced the same exact day Fred had his one knee done. Later I saw him with his Stryker hat on so I contacted his agency and Fred put me in touch with a person in the Company. I then received a nice hat from Stryker as that’s the model knees I have inside me now!!!! It’s been almost 5 years and I’m doing great!!
Norm Platt
May 5, 2014 at 1:53 pm
Good article Ben. I’ve had my right knee and left hip replaced as well. I’m a few years older than Fred and so I was curious to see how he fared. I’m a left handed golfer so my right knee is like a righties left knee. I used to be a professional squash player so I’m carrying a degenerating lower back and damaged right shoulder.
Regardless , when you opt for a total replacement , it’s a huge leap of faith. I’ve had a total of seven major surgeries and the ones before the replacement did not go well. Part of my issue is not unlike Tiger’s where I was a built up ecto/ mesomorph. Being too strong for your joints does not end well.
My golf has improved immeasurably over the last 9 years due to the replacements. I’ve gone from a 14handicap to a 6. Lots of lessons and lots of hard work. I have no idea who the manufacturer is but all I know according to the surgeon is that it’s titanium and should last until I die. I would recommend this procedure if your sick and tired of the constant pain.
Tom O'Neal
May 1, 2014 at 7:50 am
Having bone on bone on both knees and debating whether to have both knees replaced, I thought the article was very helpful in seeing the benefits of knee replacement. I appreciated knowing the artificial knee that appears to have worked very well for Mr Funk.
Eric
Apr 25, 2014 at 3:49 pm
I thought the ending of the article was going down a much different, more interesting, path concerning injury prevention, fitness regimes, and maybe a little about the entourage/industry of people who support these items….but then you just wrapped it up with the knee replacement thing. I acknowledge you started the article started with his knee….but you really didn’t go anywhere with it.
There’s quite a bit going on with injuries in sports….not just golf. There’s a lot to say here, I was really looking forward to reading this as I’m interested in all that’s been going on in pro sports with injuries….I was even more excited to see it was Ben writing it up as he’s one of the few people on golfwrx that can write. This just seems like a massive opportunity missed.
Mike
Apr 24, 2014 at 7:03 am
perhaps he should just stick to the champions tour and vacate his pga spot for one of the up and comers… wasn’t there a previous article about those guys “injured” taking up tour spots..
Jim
Apr 23, 2014 at 11:55 pm
I’m sure it’s just a co-incidence that you mention the manufacturer of his artificial knee and that he has the same company as sponsor on his visor in the photo. You mention the full name of the part twice. If you’re going to advertise something just call it that. Don’t try and disguise it as an article about Fred Funk. Just be honest we understand advertising pays the bills.