Hahn hopes to put Green Valley girls back on top

Green Valley’s girls golf team failed to qualify for the Class 4A state tournament last year for the first time in school history.

Returning to that big stage is at the top of the team’s priority list. And if the Gators reach that goal, junior Jennifer Hahn is almost certain to play a major role.

Hahn won the 2007 Sunset Region championship as a freshman at Bishop Gorman, then had to sit out last year after transferring to Green Valley.

“It feels great playing high school golf again,” Hahn said. “We have some really good players on the team, and of course expectations are high.”

Hahn took up golf at age 10, and has taken lessons at the Butch Harmon School of Golf for the past two years.

“Jennie is a wonderful golfer,” Gators coach Greg Murphy said. “She works as hard as any player I’ve seen. She does it all, from working hard to helping the younger players with their game.”

Hahn participated in the U.S Women’s Open Qualifier at City of Industry, Calif. She missed qualifying by one stroke.

Hahn’s best effort of the summer was in the U.S. Girls Junior Championship qualifier at Boulder Creek. She won the event with a bogey-free, 7-under-par 65.

In the U.S. Women’s Amateur qualifier at Anandale Country Club in Pasadena, Calif., Hahn shot 74 and finished eighth among 105 golfers, most of them college players.

She then placed second in the U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links Championship qualifier at Black Mountain.

Hahn also finished in the top three in two American Junior Golf Championship national tournaments.

After her busy summer, Hahn is focused on bringing a state title to Green Valley.

Even though Murphy says Hahn has one of the most fluid swings in the area, she knows what part of her game she needs to keep improving.

“Putting, without a doubt,” Hahn said. “When looking at my entire game, I’m pretty consistent at driving and chipping. It’s the putting that always could use work.”

The Gators have the right attitude toward winning, Murphy said, and he figures that mindset can only help the team’s chances of winning a state championship.

“All the players have the desire to win,” Murphy said. “When you have the talent plus the expectations to win, it makes for a pretty special combination.”

Green Valley has other weapons besides Hahn, including freshman Alexandra Kaui and sophomore Kristen Hsu. Kaui won the Butch Harmon Tournament of Champions this summer and Hsu finished 23rd at the state tournament last year.

“We have some really good young golfers,” Hahn said. “If we each do our part and continue to work hard, good things will happen for us as a team.”