For Fred Funk, the first win at the came in 1992 at Houston, marking the lovely city as something special and memorable in his career. Talking about his first win that came 3 years after he both lost and earned his Tour card, the iconic golfer said of the win in 2017: “that came out of nowhere. I’d been having a terrible season and had no expectations of winning.” However, part of the reason Funk made that win was Van Silver, his caddie, who was present with him during those years. And now, 33 years later, Fred Funk is set to make another historical record, and Van Silver is once again right next to him.
Fred Funk, currently present at the iconic Insperity Invitational at the Woodlands, has made 650 starts on the PGA Tour before transitioning to the PGA Tour Champions in 2006, where he has played 349 tournaments. Now, at 68 years old, he will achieve his 1000th combined start on the PGA Tour and PGA Tour Champions.
However, what makes this milestone even sweeter and more memorable is the presence of his former caddie, Van Silver—the same caddie who stood behind him during his first career win in 1992 at the Houston Open. But, their recent partnership started on a funny note! Present at the Woodlands, when Van Silver was asked about his reaction to Funk asking him to be his caddie, Silver laughed and replied, “I said, ‘you’re crazy. What are you talking about?’ The more I thought about it, the stronger I got the last few months. So I know I can do it.”
Fred Funk, for his part, acknowledged Van Silver’s grand gesture. Talking about Silver, Funk shared the struggles over the years, “He has fought a big cancer battle and he was actually pretty much on his deathbed about a year and a half ago.” Thanks to the Americans with Disabilities Act, Silver will be able to use a golf cart this week to witness Funk’s gameplay.
In 1992, Fred Funk captured his first win with Van Silver on the bag.
Silver is currently battling cancer, but that wasn’t stopping him from missing Funk’s 1,000th start
This week, they’ve reunited at The Woodlands, the location of their first win. pic.twitter.com/R57OXlVmyZ
— PGA TOUR Champions (@ChampionsTour) May 4, 2025
However, just because it started on a skeptic note doesn’t mean Silver, who is currently battling cancer, does not rejoice it. On the opportunity to join hands with Funk again, he said, “Oh, it’s the best, you know, friends for over 50 years, in college and it turned into work and it’s been fabulous.” Van Silver has caddied for 33 years, however stopped two years ago. Now, he’s back at it.
Perhaps that’s where Funk’s appreciation for Silver comes from as well, “Van’s a huge part of everything. My past, present. And that means a lot to me, a lot to him.” Talk about a great friendship, on and off the greens! And the golf fans seem just as emotional.
Golf fans get emotional at the iconic moment between Fred Funk and Van Silver
Two of the fans, taking note of the emotional moment, replied under the post, “What an inspiring man and inspiring moment. Van, you can beat cancer! Stay prayed up, stay healthy, and beat this thing!!!” while the other said, “#fcancer” Reflecting on the grave battle, Funk admitted that he never thought they would reunite—especially on a golf course. However, now that Van Silver is present on the greens, his peers are happy to see him active next to him and, honestly, we are just as fired up!
One of the fans suggested a potential treatment for Van Silver, saying, “Tell him about fen Ben it’s on YouTube.” Fenbendazole (FBZ) is a cost-effective and readily available anti-parasitic commonly used in veterinary medicine. It belongs to the benzimidazole drug class, which interferes with microtubules in a manner similar to the anti-cancer vinca alkaloids. Nevertheless, because the FDA and EMA have not approved fenbendazole, researchers have not thoroughly explored its pharmacokinetics and safety in humans in medical literature. And, yes, videos about the same are also available on YouTube.
Another fan gave both of the iconic figures a nod of approval by saying, “You both are big winners this week!!” For Funk and Silver, whose story began as fellow college students, the Insperity Invitational serves less as a competition and more as a place to create new memories. We will be eagerly waiting to see history unfold at the Woodlands.
Lastly, a fan said, “Fred is a great dude!” Fred Funk, who is the oldest The PLAYERS Championship winner in history, thanks to his 2005 win at the age of 48 years, 9 months and 14 days, does not need an explanation for that. However, perhaps the fan’s comment also comes from the place wherein Funk shared how he tried to pull Silver on the greens to witness this iconic record: “I’m trying to make this happen, and you sound like you’re starting to feel a lot better. You know, we can make this thing happen at the Woodlands for my thousandth event and I think it’d be a special one.” The duo is iconic through and through!
The post Veteran Caddie’s Emotional Return From ‘Deathbed’ to Join Golf Legend’s Special Day Wins Fans’s Heart: ‘Great Dude!’ appeared first on EssentiallySports.