Lund signs with Montana Tech

Fresh off celebrating a state championship in golf for the Polson Pirates, Christian Lund has another reason to be excited.

Lund recently signed to play golf for Montana Tech, meaning he will continue his competitive career after being a key cog in Polson’s golf program for many years.

Wanting to study engineering and hit tee shots at the same time, Lund reached out to the Miners’ head coach Sean Ryan, who had a place for him on the team.

“It’s a good education at Montana Tech, and I thought it would be fun to play golf in college and further my career, too,” Lund said.

Montana Tech competes in the NAIA, and college golf plays during the fall and spring. Lund is expected to be on the travel team for the Miners, which has a roster comprised entirely of Montana golfers.

“It’s definitely more serious, but it has that team aspect, which is nice compared to just playing golf by yourself,” Lund said. “Yes, it has the individual aspect, but being part of a team is what drew me in.”

Lund’s own individual game notched him an 11th-place finish at the Class A State Championships last fall, helping add to the point total that earned Polson a state title.

Butte won’t be an otherworldly setting for him either since his family has a hunting cabin in the Butte area, and he’s spent a good amount of time in that part of the state. Montana Tech’s home courses of the Butte Country Club and the Old Works in Anaconda are also familiar courses that Lund has played on.

Lund feels that he’s been pretty consistent, has solid iron play, and hopes to keep reaching lower rounds.

It’s the next chapter in Lund’s golf career, which he started when he was in fifth grade and got into Polson Golf Pro Cameron Milton’s junior golf program. As part of the Mission Valley Golf Association, Lund and his friends have been playing for years, experiencing success.

“Our high school team was pretty solid because we had been playing together since sixth grade,” Lund said. “There was a bond there, and the coaching staff is great. Cameron and John Kelly are great guys and just made me want to play golf more.”

Now, being able to play in college is a special milestone for Lund.

“It feels like all the work I’ve put in is finally paying off,” he added. “Cameron Milton and John Kelly were pretty important in getting me to like golf, and it feels good.”