Former UNLV golfer looking forward to first round of The Players Championship

By Case Keefer (contact)

Thursday, May 6, 2010 | 2:05 a.m.

For years, Bill Lunde watched The Players Championship on television and saw how PGA Tour professionals struggled with the 17th hole at TPC Sawgrass.

The 17th hole, a par-three known as the “Island Green,” is one of the most famous and toughest in golf. The 132-yard hole is surrounded entirely by water. Three years ago at The Players Championship, a record 50 players hit their ball into the water in one round.

Lunde used to wonder how he’d attack the challenge and what it would be like to play. He got his first chance Tuesday during a practice round before the 2010 Players Championship.

“I hit the green, two-putted and got out of there,” Lunde said.

Jot it down as a par for Lunde. If the former UNLV golfer and current PGA Tour professional can keep it up Thursday when the tournament gets under way, he might have a strong showing in his first career appearance at The Players Championship.

Qualifying for The Players Championship, sometimes called the unofficial “fifth major,” is a significant accomplishment in golf. Automatic invites are sent out the top 125 players on the previous year’s money list.

Lunde came in at No. 124.

“I’ve been preparing to play in this all year, so it wasn’t like three weeks ago I realized I was a lock to get in,” Lunde said. “I’ve been scheduled to play in it all year and I’m looking forward to it.”

Three other former Rebels — Chad Campbell, Charley Hoffman and Ryan Moore — are in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., for the tournament.

But Lunde is the only one making his debut. He’s trying to keep things simple and approach it like any other tournament.

“Getting around and seeing the golf course a couple times is great,” Lunde said. “Other than that, it’s just another week. I’m feeling pretty comfortable.”

A few factors make the Players Championship more meaningful than a typical tournament. At $9.5 million, it has the highest purse of any golf tournament.

That attracts all of the game’s top players and makes the tournament arguably the toughest field of the year.

“Everyone here has earned it,” Lunde said. “But the majority of these guys, I see every week. It’s not like it’s 100 guys I never play against. The field is very similar, except it’s got all of the top players in the world.”

Lunde knows he’ll have to be at the top of his game, which hasn’t come easily this year. Lunde has one top-10 finish on the tour this year but has missed six of 11 cuts.

He ranks 151st on the 2010 Money List and 162nd in the FedEx Cup points rankings. Lunde is not at a loss of confidence, however, and thinks he can break out this weekend.

“The last couple of months, I’ve been in a spot where I was just trying to gut it out and get through the golf course, but now I feel really good,” Lunde said. “And what a great tournament to start to feel good at.”