Funk & Goydos Head into Sunday atop Hawaii Championship


In what looks to be a continued scoring binge, Fred Funk carded a 10-under 62 and Paul Goydos a 63 Saturday at Kapolei Golf Club to tie for the 36-hole lead in the $2.2 million, 54-hole Hawaii Championship.

The 58-year-old Funk, a nine-time winner on the Champions Tour, carded 11 birdies and a bogey at the over-50 circuit event. The 50-year-old Goydos, one of only seven players in history to shoot a 59 during a PGA Tour-sanctioned competition, had an even more spotless card, with seven birdies and an eagle Saturday.

The two stand at 15-under 129, two strokes ahead of Vijay Singh (65) and Corey Pavin. The 54-year-old Pavin, a 15-time winner on the PGA Tour and the 1995 U.S. Open champion, fired an 11-birdie 61 to soar up the leaderboard after opening with a 70.

Funk, the former University of Maryland men's golf coach, added that he changed putters this week. "Today was an exceptional day hitting close," he said. "I've been playing well tee to green this year, but the putter has let me down. I switched putters this week."

Funk knows that a continued birdie assault on the Kapolei course will be needed to determine the winner on Sunday. "You've got to make a lot of birdies out here," he said. "My putter came around - never seen greens this good. They're pretty fast. They're pristine."

Pavin owed his great round to some outstanding work on the short grass, along with an affinity for the Hawaiian Islands. "I made some putts finally," the California native said. "I've been working on it. It's nice to see some putts going in . . . I like Hawaii a lot. When I come here it kind of puts me at peace. I feel relaxed here."

Tied for fifth at 132 heading into the final round are Doug Garwood (63), Mark Calcavecchia (65), Michael Allen (68), Jim Carter (66) and Tom Pernice Jr. Pernice, who took the first-round lead after a tournament-tying 60, shot an even-par 72 Saturday to drop down the leaderboard.

Sharing 10th at 11-under 133 are Rocco Mediate (65), Jeff Maggert (66), Wes Short Jr. (66), Russ Cochran (66) and Scott Dunlap (68).

Making his debut on the Champions Tour, Davis Love III followed up his opening 69 with a 72 to head into Sunday at 3-under 141, tied for 57th place.

For all the scores, visit http://www.pgatour.com/champions/leaderboard.html.