Everything’s Lunke-dorry
Lunke Eyeing First Women’s Open Win
By Ken Klavon, USGA
North Plains, Ore. – Talk about coming full circle.
Hilary Lunke, holding a one-stroke lead after three rounds of the
58th U.S. Women’s Open Saturday, nearly didn’t make it
to Pumpkin Ridge. During her 36-hole sectional qualifier, held all
in one June day in New Jersey, Lunke was on the precipice of going
anywhere but Oregon. A morning-round 80 had her on the verge of
imploding. But she clawed back, firing a 72 in the afternoon and
earning one of the 11 spots.
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| Annika Sorenstam placed herself in contention
by birdieing No. 8 en route to a 4-under 67 Saturday. (John
Mummert/USGA) |
Now she’s in position to win her first professional event, a major
no less, on Sunday.
"It’s pretty much a surreal feeling," said the 24-year-old
Lunke.
As third-round leader Mhairi McKay toppled to 2-under 211 for the
championship, Lunke elevated to the top with a 3-under 68 and total
score of 5-under 208. Lunke will be paired with Angela Stanford
Sunday, who was in sole possession of second place at 4-under 209.
Four players – McKay, Jeong Jang, Aree Song and Annika Sorenstam
-- were tied for third at 2-under 211. With a 3-over 74 on Sunday,
defending champion Juli Inkster dropped to eighth at 1 over par.
Throughout the round there was non-stop positional jockeying on
the leaderboard, which started when McKay’s ball, struck with a
7-iron, found the water on the par-3 fifth hole. It was her second
bogey of the round, taking her from a 6-under start to a brief three-way
tie at 4 under with Inkster and Lunke.
With a three-putt for bogey on No. 6, McKay lost the lead. Lunke
grabbed it on the par-4 eighth with a birdie.
"I still got a pulse," said McKay.
Said Lunke: "When I made the putt on No. 8, I just turned
to my husband and I was like, ‘I’m just took the lead in the Women’s
Open. What am I doing?’" Husband Tylar is her caddie this week.
It was methodical round for Lunke. Not know for length, she has
averaged 228.3 yards off the tee this week. Or a mere 60.7 yards
less than distance leader in the field, 13-year-old Michelle Wie.
However, accuracy is what counts. And Lunke struck 92 percent of
her fairways in regulation Sunday, 82 percent over the championship.
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| Angela Stanford, above, will be paired with
Lunke, who she knows well from their amateur days together.
(John Mummert/USGA) |
Most critical to her round were the 15th and 16th
holes. Especially coming off a bogey on the par-4 14th,
which had been the course’s most difficult hole statistically. On
the 175-yard par-3 15th, she was too long with her 9-wood,
as the ball found the back fringe. A chip to 10 feet of the hole
set up a brilliant par-save putt down a slope.
On the 16th, a 407-yard par 4, Lunke received a fortunate
hop that everyone hopes for. Using a 7-wood from 190 yards to the
left-placed flagstick, Lunke’s ball faded before bounding just before
a left bunker and kicking right to within 10 feet of the hole. She
knocked it in.
"The wind was swirling on us on 14, 15, 16, so I was kind
of mad," said Lunke. "I think that would be the key to
my round. Even the bogey putt I made on 14, too. It calmed me down."
Calm wasn’t what she was prior to the round. On the range, it was
a different story.
"This morning on the range, I was sick to my stomach,"
she said. "I was so nervous, I could barely stand up."
Lunke, who has a masters in sociology from Stanford, started playing
golf at 13. She was an accomplished amateur, competing in seven
U.S. Women’s Amateurs and making it to the third round three times
(1996, 1997 and 2000). In 1997 and 1999 Lunke won the Women’s Western
Amateur. She could have turned professional thereafter, but chose
to delay those plans while she pursued school interests.
Overall, she has competed in three Women’s Opens, all as an amateur.
Her best finish was 56th in 2000.
This year on the LPGA Tour has been rocky. Through12 events, she
has made the cut five times. Last year she did not qualify for the
Women’s Open.
In any event, she’s pleased to be playing with Stanford in the
final group.
Like Lunke, Stanford was consistent, just as she’s been all week.
In fact, Stanford is the only player in the field who has been under
par every round. Both players know each other from their time on
the 2000 Curtis Cup team. They were roommates.
"I was hoping as I was coming up the 18th fairway
she was going to par the last hole; she birdied it," said Lunke.
Stanford got to the WAPL quarterfinals in 1997 before losing to
eventual champion Jo Jo Robertson. She also made it to the quarterfinals
of the Women’s Amateur in 1998.
More impressive, though, is that she is coming off last week’s
victory at the ShopRite Classic.
"I think this week would have been extremely different if
I didn’t win last week," said the 25-year-old Stanford, who
added that she is also looking forward to playing with Lunke.
Song, a 17-year-old amateur, took just 27 putts en route to a 3-under
round. For some reason, she’s 4 over on the front nine compared
to being 6 under on the back this week. Which left her with little
explanation.
Song is the youngest-ever USGA champion based on her 1999 victory
at the U.S. Girls’ Junior when she was 13.
"I’m not really thinking about winning. I just want to have
fun, keep having fun," said Song.
Then there is Storenstam lurking in the weeds. The two-time Women’s
Open champion turned in the best round of the day with a 4-under
67. A switch from a left-hand low to a more conventional putting
style resulted in a bogey-free round.
Having the experience as a former champion may tilt the advantage
in her favor.
"Yes and no," she said. "I’m obviously in a position
where I want to be, and I know how to react under these conditions.
… I would like to be in my shoes [Sunday] and play my golf."
Sorenstam, the Tiger Woods – if there is such a thing -- of the
LPGA Tour, no doubt presents an overbearing psychological presence
to most players. That’s no exception to Lunke, who admitted that
she’s more at ease playing with Stanford than anyone else in the
final round.
In the 2000 Women’s Open at The Merit Club, Lunke was paired with
Sorenstam in the third round and she couldn’t concentrate.
"It was a heck of an experience," said Lunke. "I
couldn’t breathe for the first seven holes."
Maybe on Sunday, if she manages to keep Sorenstam and the rest
of the field at bay, she’ll breathe easier.
Ken Klavon is the USGA Web Editor. E-mail him at kklavon@usga.org
with questions and comments.
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