By BY PAUL EBNER - SPECIAL TO THE ADVOCATE
Originally published July 3, 2009 at 2:24 p.m., updated July 3, 2009 at 2:25 p.m.
Victoria could be called home to a U.S. Open golf champion come early August.
David Lundstrom, a Houston professional golfer, who has played out of Victoria in a number of professional events, will be calling Victoria home again for the 2009 U.S. Senior Open.
Lundstrom earned one of two qualifying spots for the event at the Deerwood Golf Club in Kingwood on Monday. Lundstrom posted a 69 to share the overall lead with amateur Bob Kearney of Houston.
"I'm excited," said Lundstrom, who will be playing out of Victoria Country Club and Colony Creek Country Club.
Lundstrom is no stranger to major championships on the Champions Tour as he has played in the 2005 and 2006 U.S. Senior Opens as well as the Senior PGA Championship last year.
He tied for 37th at the 2005 Senior Open with a 5-over 289 but missed the cut in the 2006 event. Lundstrom finished tied for 67th at last year's Senior PGA Championship after throwing together a 72-hole 305.
Having fought off the injury bug off and on throughout his career, Lundstrom has a little more hop in his step this year after undergoing foot surgery in December.
Lundstrom had some bone fragments removed from his foot and the procedure seems to have benefited his game.
"In the Open qualifiers you have to walk and the last two years I've come in limping like crazy and found out I had to have foot surgery," Lundstrom said. "I walked 18 holes Monday in 104 degree heat and everything was fine so I'm real encouraged about that big time.
"They had 80 players there for two spots on a good golf course that they played at 7,000 yards and I shot 69 there and that's a good score on a good course."
The 2009 U.S. Senior Open will be played July 27-Aug. 2 at Crooked Stick Golf Club in Carmel, Ind.
A Pete Dye designed course, Crooked Stick should offer a challenge for the field as it tests a player's poise, courage, intelligence and skill level.
Players must constantly adjust to the wind as no consecutive holes are laid out in the same direction and long holes are followed by short holes.
"I don't know a lot about the course but in 1981 John Daly won the PGA that made him famous and got his career going, so it's a historic course and should be fun to play so I'm looking forward to it," Lundstrom said.
