4A STATE GOLF: Gators’ 1-2 punch delivers

Jenny Hahn had every reason to rejoice Wednesday after learning she had won the Class 4A girls golf state championship.

But the Green Valley junior anxiously watched as team scores were posted, hoping she would be able to celebrate a team title as well. Shortly after, the Gators were hoisting both trophies.

Hahn shot 3-under-par 69 to finish with a two-day total of 141 at Boulder Creek. Green Valley carded a four-person 328 to finish with a total of 671 and secure its first team crown since 2002.

“To be honest, I’m more excited that the team won than I did,” Hahn said. “We worked hard all season, and I think we deserve it. I’m happier that the team won so we can all enjoy this victory.”

Green Valley freshman Alexandra Kaui finished second, shooting 73 to finish with a total of 149. Douglas’ Bethany Wurster was third at 150 in a scorecard playoff, followed by Faith Lutheran’s Annie Freman (150), Bishop Gorman’s Nichole Corpus (153) and Coronado’s Melanie Chambers (155).

Green Valley topped Faith Lutheran (686), which entered the second round leading the Gators by one stroke.

Kaui, the Sunrise Region champion, said she had a “little knot” in her stomach while watching team scores being posted.

“Today everybody shot better,” Kaui said. “I had a pretty good feeling that we won, but I just had to see the numbers to make sure we did. But it was an ecstatic feeling.”

Bishop Manogue was third (689), followed by Gorman (691), Coronado (702) and Elko (753).

“They’re the top two golfers in the state,” Green Valley coach Greg Murphy said of Hahn and Kaui. “We believed that all season, and they went out and proved it the last two days.

“They feed off each other; they compete with each other. They motivate each other to play well.”

Hahn, who sat out last season after transferring from Gorman, overcame a torn ligament and inflammation in her left shoulder that she suffered within the past month.

“Before I played on the range, my shoulder started to hurt again,” Hahn said. “I was worried that my shoulder was going to be a problem, but it didn’t hurt playing the round.”

Murphy said Hahn’s mental toughness was key.

“I knew when it got to the end, she’s such a clutch player, I knew she was going to bring it,” he said.