Taylor Funk posted four rounds in the 60s to tie Davis Lamb for medalist in a PGA Tour first-stage qualifier last week at the Bermuda Run Country Club in North Carolina.
Funk, the Times-Union’s high school player of the year in 2013 when he led Ponte Vedra to a state championship, opened with a 68, had middle rounds of 67-67 and finished with a 69 for a 13-under 271 final score.
Funk, a former University of Texas player and Lamb, a former Notre Dame player, advanced to one of five second-stage qualifiers beginning in late November. Players in those qualifiers will be vying for the final step, the PGA Tour Q-School presented by Korn Ferry Dec. 12-15 at the TPC Sawgrass Dye’s Valley and Sawgrass Country Club.
Funk played in the final stage last year and tied for 97th.
Chris Baker of Jacksonville survived three bogeys on the back nine and was among a nine-way tie for 15th at 3-under to advance to the second stage.
In other first-stage qualifiers completed last week:
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Christian Salzer, who played at N.C. 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.
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John Greco, a 30-year-old veteran of PGA Tour Americas, opened with a 63 and went on to win by one shot at 19-under 261 at the Lake Carolina Golf Club in Madison, Miss. Former University of North Florida player Lance Yates advanced by tying for ninth at 5-under.
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Jake Staiano, who last played on the Korn Ferry Tour in 2023, cruised to a seven-shot victory at 13-under 271 at the University of New Mexico Course.
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Veteran mini-tour player Jacob Harper posted a 17-under 271 at the Rockwell Golf and Athletic Club in Texas to beat Dawson Armstrong of Jacksonville by three shots.
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One first-stage qualifier remains, at the Country Club of Ocala Oct. 29-Nov. 1. It was postponed due to Hurricane Milton.
Scottie Scheffler highlights Hero field
World No. 1-ranked and two-time defending Players champion Scottie Scheffler is among the first 17 players in the field for the Hero World Challenge, the off-season event hosted by Woods Dec. 5-8 at the Albany Club in The Bahamas.
Also playing will be Horschel, Brian Harman of St. Simons Island, Ga., 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 released
The 2025 Korn Ferry Four schedule will have 26 stops in its 35th season, in seven countries and 17 states.
The tour begins Jan. 12-15 for its two-week Bahamas Swing, at the Ocean Club on Paradise Island and The Abaco Club. Golf Channel will televise both events for the first time since 2020.
The tour will then go to Panama, Colombia, Argentina and Chile. A new event has been scheduled for Mexico, the PGA Riviera Maya Championship May 1-4.
The Club Car Championship at The Landings Golf & Athletic Club in Savannah, Ga. (April 3-6) will be the first domestic event of the year. Two weeks later will be the only Florida Korn Ferry Tour event, the LECOM Suncoast Classic in Lakewood Ranch.
LIV Golf partners with UN Agency
The LIV Golf League has signed a three-year, $10 million committment with the United Nations Refugee Agency to increase access for sports and education for up to 1 million forcibly displaced people in Africa, Asia, Europe and South America. Among the activities will be golf and play-based sports.
“We’re proud to partner with the UN Refugee Agency to make a positive impact in the world through sport,” said LIV Golf CEO and Commissioner Greg Norman in a statement. “LIV Golf’s ‘Potential Unleashed’ strategy is utilizing the game of 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 deliver its meaningful programming and initiatives.”
PGA Tour: International swing begins in Japan
Event: ZOZO Championship, Thursday-Sunday, Narashino Country Club, Shiba, Japan.
What’s the purse? $8.5 million ($1.53 million and 500 FedEx Cup points to the winner).
Who won last year? Collin Morikawa shot 64 in the first round and 63 in the final round to cruise home by six shots.
How to watch: Golf Channel (Wednesday/Thursday-Saturday/Sunday, 11 p.m.-3 a.m.).
Area players entered: Nico Echavarria, Ben Griffin, Ben Kohles, Andrew Novak.
Notable: The short-field event (78 players) begins a three-event tour in three countries, with stops in Mexico and Bermuda to follow. … Leading the field along with Morikawa are Hideki Matsuyama, Xander Schauffele, Saith Theegala, Justin Thomas, Rickie Fowler and Will Zalatoris.
LPGA Tour: Boutier defends hard-earned title in Malaysia
Event: Maybank Championship, Thursday-Sunday, Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club, Malaysia.
What’s the purse? $3 million ($540,000 to the winner).
Who won last year? Celine Boutier outlasted Jeero Thitikul in a 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, 6:30-10:30 p.m.).
Area players entered: Auston Kim.
Notable: Last week’s winner in South Korea, Hannah Green, leads the field. Also playing 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’s the purse? $2,3 million ($365,000 to the winner).
Who won last year? First-year event.
How to watch on TV: Golf Channel (Friday-Sunday, 3-6 p.m.).
Area players entered: Vijay Singh.
Notable: The top 54 on the Charles Schwab Cup money list move 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, K.J. Choi and Steve Stricker, although Stricker is not entered 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 (golf) odds?
ZOZO Championship: Hard Rock Bet has Schauffele as the clear favorite at +452. Morikawa is +700 and Matsuyama is +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 Tour second stage with big week in North Carolina
