Injuries might end Funk's year on Sunday: Local Knowledge: Golf Digest

Injuries might end Funk's year on Sunday

Saturday, July 30, 2011 Comments

TOLEDO, Ohio - The U.S. Senior Open will be Fred Funk's last tournament for a while. In fact, the 55-year-old, who has a pair of operations scheduled next week, might be done for the year.

Funk has a torn ligament in his left thumb and pain caused by scar tissue in his right knee, for which he had a total replacement on Nov. 16, 2009. Dr. Tom Graham is scheduled to repair Funk's thumb Monday at the Cleveland Clinic. Funk plans to have knee surgery three days later in Jacksonville, Fla.

"The artificial knee itself is good - I've got tremendous range of motion and everything is functional, but it's like I'm stepping on a nerve with every step," Funk said after the third round at Inverness Club.

Funk injured his thumb at this year's Greater Hickory Classic. "I swung a stretch stick right into a porch railing warming up and snapped my ligament," he said. "I got a cortisone shot and for four weeks it didn't bother me at all. I never had it checked and didn't think it was that bad. Then the cortisone wore off and it got really bad."

Funk vows to be patient in his recovery from both pending surgeries. "If I'm done for the season, so be it," he said. "I'm not going to rush this. I rushed last time [after knee replacement]. I think I pushed it too hard, and that's how I think I got the scar tissue."

-- Bill Fields