Rod Funseth
| Rod Funseth | |
|---|---|
| Personal information | |
| Full name | James Rodney Funseth |
| Born | April 3, 1933 Spokane, Washington |
| Died | September 9, 1985 (aged 52) Napa, California |
| Height | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) |
| Weight | 170 lb (77 kg; 12 st) |
| Nationality |  United States |
| Career | |
| College | Idaho State University |
| Turned professional | 1956 |
| Former tour(s) | PGA Tour Champions Tour |
| Professional wins | 8 |
| Number of wins by tour | |
| PGA Tour | 3 |
| Champions Tour | 1 |
| Best results in Major Championships |
|
| Masters Tournament | T2: 1978 |
| U.S. Open | T10: 1977 |
| The Open Championship | DNP |
| PGA Championship | T8: 1965 |
James Rodney Funseth (April 3, 1933 – September 9, 1985) was an American professional golfer who played on both the PGA Tour and the Senior PGA Tour (now known as the Champions Tour).
Funseth was born and raised in Spokane, Washington,[1] the son of a men's clothing store operator. He attended Idaho State University, but did not graduate. Funseth was known for being one of the game's long hitters in his time and for having a pessimistic attitude toward the game. Funseth claimed that his "I'll never be able to make that shot" mental attitude of lowered expectations helped motivate him to play better.[2][3][4]
Funseth played full-time on the PGA Tour from 1963–1979, and won three tournaments during this period. The first event he won was the 1965 Phoenix Open Invitational. His second win came at the 1973 Glen Campbell-Los Angeles Open. His final Tour win came in 1978 at the Sammy Davis Jr.-Greater Hartford Open.[1] Funseth's best finish in a major championship was T2 at the 1978 Masters Tournament, won by Gary Player.[5]
Funseth became eligible to play on the Senior PGA Tour after reaching his 50th birthday in April 1983. He had a great deal of success his first year on the Senior Tour winning the Hall of Fame Tournament, the Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf (with Roberto De Vicenzo), and finishing second to Billy Casper in a playoff at the U.S. Senior Open; however, this phase of his career would be cut short by terminal cancer.[1]
Funseth died at the age of 52 at his home beside the 12th hole of the Silverado Country Club in Napa, California. He was survived by his wife Sandi and their two children, Lisa and Mark.[1] In 1999, he was inducted posthumously into the State of Washington Sports Hall of Fame.[6]
Contents |
[edit] Professional wins (8)
[edit] PGA Tour wins (3)
- 1965 Phoenix Open Invitational
- 1973 Glen Campbell-Los Angeles Open
- 1978 Sammy Davis Jr.-Greater Hartford Open
[edit] Other wins (3)
- 1964 Northwest Open
- 1973 Confidence Open
- 1977 Spalding Invitational
[edit] Senior PGA Tour wins (1)
[edit] Other senior wins (1)
- 1983 Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf (with Roberto DeVicenzo)
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d "Rod Funseth, 52, Pro Golfer Earned More Than $600,000". New York Times. September 11, 1985. http://www.nytimes.com/1985/09/11/sports/rod-funseth-52-pro-golfer-earned-more-than-600000.html. Retrieved 2010-05-11.
- ^ McKenzie, Mike (April 10, 1977). "Rod's clods". The Tuscaloosa News. http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1817&dat=19770410&id=DggdAAAAIBAJ&sjid=8p0eAAAAIBAJ&pg=6872,1459485. Retrieved 2010-05-11.
- ^ GolfDigest.com Johnny Miller Talks Golf
- ^ Bingham, Walter (June 12, 1978). "Look For The Man Early, Not Late". Sports Illustrated. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1093755/index.htm. Retrieved 2010-05-11.
- ^ "Golf Major Championships". http://golfmajorchampionships.com/players?player=346.
- ^ "State of Washington Sports Hall of Fame: Golf". http://www.washingtonsportshof.com/golf.htm. Retrieved 2010-05-11.
[edit] External links
- Rod Funseth at the PGA Tour official site
