Las Vegas, Nevada (October 1, 2011)–When word started spreading that Las Vegas PGA Tour star Bill Lunde had made eagle on 16 at TPC Summerlin on Friday, his fellow pros were quick with a description. "That's nasty," a few pros said in a respectful tone to Lunde, whose stone-cold eagle could lead to a million-dollar Kodak Challenge prize in a couple weeks. The eagle moved him to 19-under par in the season-long contest, three shots ahead of his playing partner Cameron Tringale. The score came during the second round of the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open.–By Brian Hurlburt.
The Kodak Challenge, while a bit complicated to explain, annually awards a million-dollar, winner-take-all prize to the PGA Tour pro who records the lowest total in a series of individual holes played throughout the PGA Tour season. And with just a few opportunities left this season, Lunde is thisclose to the million. Lunde now has a 3-shot lead in the Challenge.
"I'll think about it when it's all over, but definitely 19-under feels pretty good," Lunde told the media following his round. "I knew if I got to 19, I'd have a really good shot at it. So just kind of relieved, but still, you just never know what's going to happen. Someone makes a crazy shot. Next week someone could make a hole-in-one, jump up there. You know, things have to fall into place, but you know, that was my ultimate goal was to make eagle on 16. So I'm very happy about that."
Hey, did you know it is National Golf Day October 4th? If you're in Las Vegas, play Rio Secco Golf Club or Cascata and save big at these two Las Vegas golf courses in honor of the Day. Each are designed by Rees Jones and are two of the best in the area. Cascata was once called "Golf's hidden treasure" by Sports Illustrated. Click for Cascata National Golf Day Las Vegas golf deal. Click for Rio Secco National Golf Day Las Vegas golf deal.
Lunde was a member of the 1998 NCAA Champion UNLV Rebels golf team and still lives in the Las Vegas Golf Region. For a time, he worked in sponsorship sales at this PGA Tour event during a time in his career when he had given up the game only to return and become a PGA Tour champion. And now he has a chance to won the biggest golf prize of his career. Lunde is lifelong friends with fellow PGA Tour player Charley Hoffman and they live in the same Las Vegas neighborhood.
The Kodak Challenge is a first-of-its-kind competition for PGA TOUR players, who must play at least 18 of the 30 Kodak Challenge holes to be eligible to win. A player's lowest score relative to par on his best 18 Kodak Challenge holes will be counted. The player with the lowest cumulative score relative to par wins $1 million and the Kodak Challenge trophy. There are still three more holes to play in 2011–all par 4s–as the Fall Series continues.