Catching up with ... TOUR rookie Bill Lunde

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PGATOUR.COM freelance writer Rudy Klancnik recently spoke with PGA TOUR rookie Bill Lunde, who earned his card by placing fifth on the Nationwide Tour money list last year.

"A weathered rookie" is how Bill Lunde describes himself. But after his first 10 starts on the PGA TOUR, Lunde is showing no signs of wear or tear. He's off to a solid start with nearly half a million dollars in the bank and a top 10 at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am on his resume. It's the ones that got away, however, that still loom large in his personal highlights of the first part of this season.

PGATOUR.COM: Most the guys I talk to were born when I was graduating from high school or in college. You're refreshing since your birthday in 1975 seems to make more sense to me somehow.

LUNDE: It definitely took me a bit more time to get out here, and I see a lot of guys I played with in college now that have been out here a while. They've welcomed me in with open arms, which makes it very comfortable. I've been able to pick up with some of the relationships that started back in my playing days at UNLV, and it's been like we haven't missed a beat.

PGATOUR.COM: You played with some powerhouse players with the Rebels. Chris Riley, Chad Campbell. Charley Hoffman. That was quite a team.

LUNDE: Those are great players and great guys. I grew up a couple of houses away from Charley in San Diego and now we live near one another in Vegas. When we're both around, we still hang out and barbeque.

PGATOUR.COM: Did you get a chance to talk with Chad after his near-miss at the Masters?

LUNDE: I did just a few days ago. He played great, and I obviously was pulling for him to win it. He's been in pressure situations before, but I think what bugged him the most was the 7-iron on the first playoff hole. He just didn't execute that shot after hitting a bunch of good iron shots all day. He just couldn't get a putt to fall when he needed it. He doesn't let much get to him, and I'm sure he'll use that experience to continue to get better. It was fun watching that final round.

PGATOUR.COM: It's about putting yourself in similar situations, right?

LUNDE: That's the name of the game out here. You have to put yourself into contention, and if you can do that a bunch, it'll get easier and easier to adjust to that situation. I've played pretty well so far with a couple of really good tournaments on the West Coast Swing, so I'm getting closer to where I want to be.

PGATOUR.COM: You're speaking about the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic and Pebble Beach. Those were two successful runs for you. What experiences were you able to take away from those opportunities?

LUNDE: At the Hope, I was fourth with one hole to play. I double bogeyed. It took me a few days before I could even look at how much money that cost me. Let's put it this way, it was the type of money that would be a good year on the Nationwide [Tour]. You try not to think about the money list, but that's what we're talking about when it comes to keeping your card. You want that top 125 at the very least. At Pebble, we got rained out after 54 holes. I never thought I had a realistic shot at catching Dustin [Johnson], but I was close to second place and really was disappointed I didn't have a chance at that. All in all, I'll take a sixth-place finish at Pebble.

PGATOUR.COM: Growing up in Southern California usually translates into a Chargers fan. Is that the case?

LUNDE: Big time. I love the Chargers and the Lakers. Although we had the Clippers down there when I was a little kid, it was all about Magic Johnson and the Lakers. I've followed the Lakers ever since.

PGATOUR.COM: Are you a fan of Kobe or do you just root for the laundry?

LUNDE: Kobe's an intense guy with a ton of talent. But if I had to choose between Kobe and LeBron (James), I'd go with LeBron. He just gets his teammates more involved, and I like that. But Kobe has that tunnel vision that you need to succeed regardless of sport. I think we'll be looking at a Lakers-Cavs finals, which should be fun.

PGATOUR.COM: It took a while to get here, but now that you've arrived, what's the feeling?

LUNDE: Honestly, it's surreal at times. It's been a lifelong goal to play on this Tour, and now that I'm here, I've really had to step back and figure out some new goals. I'm playing with guys I've been watching on TV for decades. Everything out here is bigger, but I think I'm adapting well.

PGATOUR.COM: A guy who calls Las Vegas home certainly can deal with a lot of hype.

LUNDE: It's the Foreclosure Capital of the U.S. now. But when you've been the fastest growing city in America, is anyone really surprised this happened? I really like Vegas, but it's changed a lot for us living out here. When I first was here, friends would be shuttling in every two weeks to party. Now, I think even they are burned out on the whole scene. We'll go to the strip every now and then, but there are no longer trips to the hotels to just look around.

PGATOUR.COM: Your wife, Dana, is a neonatal nurse. Now that sounds like a real job.

LUNDE: It's definitely a real job. She saves lives for a living, and I chase around a little white ball. It's a baffling world. Especially since my job pays so much more than hers. Pressure to me is a 10-foot birdie putt to win a golf tournament. But then you take a walk down the halls at her work and see little babies clinging to life, and it's very humbling. It's great for your perspective.