Hard-core fans of local favorite Fred Funk surrounded the first tee for his 7:50 a.m. starting time Thursday at the TPC at Avenel. Their loyalty was rewarded in the opening round of the Booz Allen Classic. But not by the former University of Maryland golf coach.
It was Funk?s playing partner, Ben Curtis, who awed Funk?s Punks with a brilliant shot-making display. The former British Open champ fired a 9-under-par 62 to grab a two-stroke lead over Jose Coceres of Argentina. Steve Flesch and Will MacKenzie trail by three.
Curtis knows all about catching lightning in a bottle. In 2003, as a rookie who had never finished in the top 10 in a PGA event, Curtis won the British Open.
On Thursday, the Ohioan made four straight birdies on the front 9 and five straight on the back on his way to the best round of his career. If he had dropped an 8-foot putt on the 18th green, Curtis would have matched the course record, set two years ago by Charles Howell III, also in the opening round.
“Everything was easy. After the first hole, it was kind of a freak of nature,” said Curtis, 29. “Hit every shot pretty much where I wanted. Hit it close quite a few times and made a few putts as well.”
In two previous appearances at Avenel (2003, ?05), Curtis failed to break par or make the cut. But Thursday?s round was a tee-to-green masterpiece.
“I?ve been swinging well,” said Curtis who finished 57th last week in the U.S. Open. “Other than one day last week, I hit it pretty well. So I felt like if I could get my irons going that I could shoot a good number.”
“He was very tidy off the tee ? very straight,” said Curtis? caddie of three years, Andrew Sutton.
Since winning the British Open as a rookie in2003, Curtis has played well enough to retain his PGA Tour card, but has visited few leader boards, managing just three top-10 finishes in 64 tournaments. Working this season with acclaimed teaching pro Hank Haney, however, Curtis has gained better control of his game, making the cut in 10 of 13 events.
“I?d like to go out there (Friday) and do the same as today, obviously, but I know it would take a miracle to do that,” said Curtis.
