Funk fantastic at Skins Game

Rookie earns nearly $1 million, others come up empty

? What a Skins Game it was for Fred Funk, who went from wearing a pink skirt on the third hole to walking away with nearly all the money.

“Wow,” Funk said in disbelief Sunday on the 18th green, where he’d just won the final $550,000 and six skins, for a total of $925,000 and 15 skins in his first try.

“I’m still in shock that I got asked to be in this thing,” said Funk, who was invited to his first Skins Game after winning the Players Championship in March.

Funk had a two-putt birdie on the par-5 18th, then clinched the record-setting victory when Tiger Woods missed an 8-foot birdie putt.

The 49-year-old Funk became the oldest Skins Game winner, and took all $700,000 available on Sunday.

Before the made-for-TV tournament, Woods told Funk he’d never live it down if Annika Sorenstam outdrove him on even one hole. It happened on the third hole Saturday, and Funk good-naturedly pulled a pink skirt over his pants and finished the hole.

“It started off with some nice birdies at first, and after that Funky just took over,” Woods said.

Coincidentally, Funk won $775,000 and 12 skins on two par-5s.

Fred Couples, the King of Skins, was shut out for the first time in 12 appearances.

“Getting nothing is not the end of the world,” said Couples, who still holds the Skins Game career records with $3,515,000 and 77 skins. “I’ve gotten my share. So I’m tickled pink just to be here.”

Woods won the other $75,000, on the third hole on Saturday. Sorenstam was shut out for the second straight year.

“This course is long for me, and you put some wind and firm greens, it made it tough for me to get it close,” said Sorenstam.