DAVE FAVILA | Staff Writer
Harlingen High golfer Hannah Greer knows what it takes to compete at the state level.
After all, she qualifed for the UIL state golf tournament as a junior last year.
So when she returns to Legacy Hills Golf Club in Georgetown on Monday to begin another run at a state title, she’ll know exactly what to expect.
With that in mind, the rest of the field had best watch out because Hannah is ready to close out her high school golf career in style.
Last season, Hannah shot a two-day total of 158 to finish the tournament 14-over-par 144, which was only 17 strokes back of the eventual winner.
“But now that I know what to expect, I think I can do better,” she said on Saturday morning, a few hours before she and her family were set to hit the road for Georgetown.
“I’m really excited about this year’s tournament. Of course, I’m a little nervous, but I know the course and I think that will help ease my nerves. I hope to do well.”
Hannah, who is a Harlingen native but played varsity golf in Boerne as a freshman and sophomore before returning home as a junior, admits that no golf course here in the Valley compares to Legacy Hills, which in 1997 was chosen as one of the top 10 new courses by the Dallas Morning News.
“It’s a very challenging course that you have to take one shot at a time,” Hannah said. “Unlike courses here at home, it has more bunkers and you often can’t see the tee from the box, so it plays tougher than what I’m used to.”
To make things even more interesting, fellow District 32-6A competitor Julie Lucio of Brownsville Hanna will join Hannah come Monday.
Julie, who is just a sophomore, has been a fierce competitor of Hannah’s all season.
At the 32-6A tournament in Harlingen earlier this month, she edged out Hannah for the league title. And at the Region IV-6A tourney in San Antonio a couple of weeks ago, Julie came in second while Hannah had to settle for third.
“She’s a great competitor,” Hannah said of Julie. “I guess there is a bit of a competitive edge between us, especially because she’s a sophomore and I’m a senior. But I enjoy playing with her because I think we push each other.”
According to the UIL golf website, Hannah will tee off at 11:20 a.m. Monday in the same group as Trinity King of Arlington Martin, Mia Ayer of Waco Midway and Ariel Bao of Houston Bellaire. Julie does not tee off until 12:20 p.m.
Hannah, who said she began playing golf with her father when she was 6 years old and was competing in tournaments by the age of 7, admits that the key to her game is her strength off the tee.
“However, I sometimes struggle with my putting and chipping and that’s where you win and lose tournaments,” she said. “However, I’m just going to go out there, have fun and see what happens.”
Regardless of what happens on Monday and Tuesday, Hannah has already been accepted to Texas A&M University and will begin classes on July 6 with her eyes set on becoming a nurse or a physician assistant.
And golf, believe it or not, may not play a role in her future beyond the next few days unless she was to be accepted as a walk-on for the Aggies. But Hannah is not worried about walking away from golf.
“I will most likely play in the upcoming South Texas Junior Golf Classic in mid-July at Harlingen Country Club, but after that I’m ready to give it up,” she said. “I have had a lot of fun competing but I am ready to go to college and experience new things, but I’ll always have golf as something I can do for fun.
“I will miss the fun I’ve had with my dad when I was younger and he could be my caddy. I will also miss the times in high school golf and summer tournaments, but the highlight of this sport has been doing with it my dad. That’s what I will miss the most.”