Strong effort from Hahn leads team

Led by another strong performance by sophomore John Hahn, the Kent State men’s golf team carded a 21-under par to finish third at the Administaff Augusta State University Invitational yesterday.

Hahn, who earned the Mid-American Conference golfer of the week after winning last weekend’s Towson Invitational, shot a 7-under par to capture eighth place of 95 individuals competing in the 17-team event in Augusta, Ga.

With his fourth top-10 finish of the year, Hahn said his recent success stems from improving his short game.

“I’ve been putting and chipping pretty well the last couple weeks,” Hahn said. “I would attribute my success lately to my short game and my putting, over anything else. That’s where I lean on, and that’s where my good finishes have been coming from.”

Kent State coach Herb Page said Hahn’s confidence has risen noticeably, allowing him to expect that he’ll be competing for a chance to win in every tournament.

“It’s just another great week for him,” Page said. “When you get in the top 10 in a field with these types of players, you know you’ve had a good week. He’s just on a roll right now.”

But Hahn wasn’t the only member of the Flashes to turn Page’s head.

In an eight-way tie at 18th place, sophomore Brett Cairns, freshman Mackenzie Hughes and junior David Ludlow all tallied 4-under-par finishes for the Flashes after the tournament’s three rounds of play. Senior Nick Latimer finished 2-over- par in a tie at 47th place, birdying his last two holes to ensure Kent State at third place.

“These scores are impressive to me, and I’ve been coaching a long time,” Page said. “These young men are impressing me with their grit and determination.

“The nice thing about it was that everyone, every round was all in it. They’re all really gelling together very well.”

Hahn added that the team’s confidence has greatly contributed to its recent success, where the Flashes have placed among the top six in the last three tournaments, including a first-place finish in last week’s Towson Invitational.

“I think there’s more of a sense of confidence about our team,” Hahn said. “We feel like we’re not as much up in the air about whether we’re going to play good. We know that we’re going to play good. And that’s definitely a nice feeling.”

Contact sports reporter Caleb Raubenolt at [email protected].