CARMEL, Ind. — Fred Funk took a back-nine victory lap in the U.S. Senior Open.

Funk won by six strokes and broke the tournament record with a 20-under total. He shot a 7-under 65 yesterday at Crooked Stick.

"It's something I really didn't fathom happening, but the biggest thing is just getting my name on that trophy," the 53-year-old Funk said.

Coming off a playoff loss to Loren Roberts last week in the Senior British Open, Funk broke the event mark of 17 under set by Hale Irwin in 2000 at Saucon Valley.

Funk was 13 under the first three days to take the lead. He birdied Nos. 2, 5 and 9 yesterday for a 33 on the front nine and was on his way to routing the field.

The crowd knew what was happening, but Funk didn't check the scoreboard until he got to the 17th green.

"I had a feeling I had a little bit of a lead," he said.

Once he figured out where he stood, he simply had fun.

"It was a big relief to kind of freewheel it on 18," he said.

Joey Sindelar (70) finished second at 14 under, Russ Cochran (68) was 12 under, and Roberts (64) and Greg Norman (73) followed at 11 under.

Funk felt he could have won the previous week if he hadn't tried so hard to steer the ball. A week later, he let it rip with record-breaking results.

"He hits as straight as any man on the planet," said Roberts, who matched the course record with his 64. "That's what you've got to do at an Open Championship because the rough is so tough. When he does that and gets the putter going — you see what he is doing — going lights out."

ELSEWHERE

Women's British Open: Catriona Matthew won the Women's British Open in Lytham St. Annes, England by three strokes yesterday, capturing her first major title just 10 weeks after giving birth to her second child.

The 39-year-old Scot birdied three straight holes on the back nine to hold her third-round lead. She finished at 1-over 71 for a 3-under 285 total.

"I'm speechless," Matthew said. "To be honest, I didn't play that well today but I holed good putts at the 13th and 14th, which I needed. I never imagined coming back — after not playing — that I could win."