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Lunke Looks Back At A Memorable Week
Hilary Lunke of Edina, Minn., became the first player since Annika Sorenstam to make the U.S. Women’s Open her first professional victory when she outlasted former USA Curtis Cup teammate Angela Stanford and Kelly Robbins in an 18-hole playoff last July at Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club outside of Portland, Ore.
The USGA recently conducted an interview with the reigning champion and
asked her to describe her emotions that led to the victory. Those thoughts
are conveyed in an audio
slide show.
Lunke, who needed to survive local and sectional qualifying just to get
into the 156-player field, rode a hot putter and the calming influence
of her caddie and husband, Tylar, to the championship. She holed a 15-foot
birdie putt on the final hole of the playoff to edge Stanford by a stroke.
Stanford had holed a long putt of her own from just off the green to put
the pressure on Lunke.
This was the first USGA title for Lunke, who was one of the key figures to the USA’s victory over Great Britain and Ireland in the 2001 Curtis Cup at Ganton Golf Club. She also played for the USA in the 2001 Women’s World Amateur Team Championships in Germany.
