Funk still leads Champions in S. Korea

NEW SONGDO CITY, South Korea, Sept. 11 (UPI) -- Fred Funk had four birdies in his final six holes Saturday in building a 2-stroke lead at the Champions Tour stop in South Korea.

Funk shot 5-under-par 67 Saturday and is at 8-under 136 for the second-round lead at the Posco E&C Songdo Championship. Tom Pernice Jr. fired an 8-under 64 Saturday while Russ Cochran turned in a 7-under 65 and John Cook had a 68 Saturday and are tied for second at 6-under 138 after 36 holes.

D.A. Weibring (68) and Michael Allen (70) are tied for sixth at 5-under.

Funk, Allen and Jay Don Blake, who soared to a 4-over 76 Saturday, had been tied for the first-round lead.

Funk was 1-under after 12 holes Saturday and ran off three consecutive birdies on Nos. 13-15 to pull ahead and finished with a birdie at the par-5 finishing hole. None of his back-nine birdie putts were more than 12 feet.

Pernice's 64 included a bogey at No. 8 but also seven birdies and an 18th-hole eagle.

Cochran had six birdies in his first eight holes and finished with two more birdies and a bogey. Cook's round was bogey free.