Last edited 12:25 p.m., June 12, 2014PGA Champions Tour golfers Fred Funk and Jeff Sluman held on for a one-stroke win yesterday in the inaugural Big Cedar Lodge Legends of Golf Tournament on a rain-soaked Top of the Rock Golf Course in Ridgedale.
With a $2.75 million purse, Funk and Sluman split the $460,000 first-place earnings for the three-day Champions Tour tournament, finishing at 20 under par, 159, in the 50-and-older PGA circuit. In the competitive format, the first PGA-sanctioned play on a par-3 course, Funk and Sluman also earned 230 points toward the annual Charles Schwab Cup.
The victory gives Sluman back-to-back PGA Champions Tour titles – last year winning with Brad Faxon in Savannah, Ga. – and the sixth in his Champions career. Funk is a nine-time Champions Tour winner.
“I don't know what it is, maybe I've got a good eye for partners,” Sluman said.
Earlier in the day in the Legends field, for players 65 years and older, Jim Colbert and Jim Thorpe split the $120,000 winnings.
The tournament wraps up a weeklong schedule of events, including pro-am play, and fishing and shooting contests at the Big Cedar Lodge resort on Table Rock Lake. Players, attendees and some 1,000 volunteers got the first look at the reopened Top of the Rock course and restaurant, after eight years of renovations.
“We drove down just for this,” said Kansas City resident Gary Borders, parked under an umbrella with his wife, Jaenette. “We’d like to come back and golf.”
Top of the Rock is scheduled to open to the public June 16, according to
Big-Cedar.com. The cost to play nine holes is $135 and 18 holes is $175.
As with many of the PGA players, Funk said this was his first time in the Ozarks.
“This tournament was an absolute experiment that was a total success,” Funk said. “Every hole was dramatic. I can’t wait to come back next year.”
During the trophy ceremony, Funk had a few words for Big Cedar Lodge owner John Morris: “We love you. I don’t even know you. I just met you yesterday,” Funk said, causing Morris to be visibly moved.
As to the monstrous trophy built by Bass Pro craftsmen with a buffalo bronze topper commissioned by artist Scott Rogers, Funk said, “I’m going to have to build a wing to put this thing in.”
Morris and his Bass Pro Shops signed on to sponsor the tournament 90 days before play dates.
“The golf course, everything about what Johnny's done … blew expectations away,” Sluman said. “It's off the charts, it's so good. We're happy that he signed on for five years here.”
