Poway Native Lunde Claims His $1 Million Prize

It was the season-ending tournament on the PGA Tour, and Bill Lunde didn't get to play on the weekend after missing the 36-hole cut. Not that he minded.

When his nearest challengers couldn't pull an eagle out of the hat on Saturday or Sunday at the Children's Miracle Network Hospitals Classic in Florida, the Poway native who now lives in Las Vegas secured a check for a cool million dollars as winner of the Kodak Challenge.

The season-long competition records a golfer's best score on a designated hole at each of 30 tournaments during the year, and Lunde's scorecard of his best holes at 18 events showed an eagle and 17 birdies for a 19-under, good enough to win by two shots over two others. He had led the competition for nearly the entire season, grabbbing the lead for good during the Florida swing in March.

Lunde learned the game as a junior golfer with his Poway neighbor Charley Hoffman, who also is a PGA Tour player and now lives near Lunde in Las Vegas, where they both starred at UNLV.

How will he use his winnings?

"No major plans right now," Lunde said in a pressroom interview Sunday. "Going to go out and have a nice dinner and live it up a little bit. Probably do a little party with family and friends when I get home. It'll be free for everybody except for Charley Hoffman, who will be paying.

"We (the Lunde family) were in the process of looking at new houses. This will help make an easier decision. But as far as that, we're pretty simple people. Nothing big. Just happy to have the option of thinking about buying something."

More coverage of Lunde's Kodak Challenge win:

• Lunde played tourist as otherts toiled
• A post-win interview with Lunde
• Video: Lunde Wins as challengers fall short
• The official Kodak Challenge press release