Hilary (Homeyer) Lunke, was a standout junior player, winning the Minnesota State Junior Girls’ Championship, in 1996, and the Class AA Girls’ medalist title while helping Edina win the high school team title in 1997. She attended Stanford University and played on the women’s golf team, where she won two collegiate tournaments and was a four-time All-American. Lunke won the 2001 South Atlantic Amateur and earned a spot on the USGA’s Curtis Cup and World Amateur teams. She joined the LPGA Tour in 2002 and a year later won her first professional title, the 2003 U.S. Women’s Open at Pumpkin Ridge, in dramatic style. After 72 holes, Lunke was tied with Angela Stanford and Kelly Robbins forcing an 18-hole playoff. At the final playoff hole, Lunke needed a 15-foot birdie putt to win, and she sent the curling putt to the center of the cup for the championship and the record book. With husband Tyler on the bag, Lunke was the first Open champion to advance through Local and Sectional qualifying, joining two other Minnesotans as National Open Champions: Patty Berg and Jerilyn Britz. In 2008, Lunke’s LPGA peers recognized her with the William and Mousie Powell Award for best representing the spirit, ideals and values of the LPGA.
