Arnold Ha | soph. | Jackson
As a freshman in 2014, Ha finished tied for 27th at the Class 4A boys state tournament to complete a year of great change.
After emigrating from the Republic of Korea to the United States with his family before the school year, Ha had to get acclimated to life in America as well as high school golf.
Jackson coach Jim Anderson said Ha did both very well, and should improve as a sophomore.
“His mental strength is really special,” Anderson said. “If he hits a bad shot, he doesn’t let it destroy his round. His preparation and focus are unbelievable.”
Anderson added that Ha routinely puts in additional time by himself after practice at Mill Creek Country Club to hone his game.
“I always tell the boys that to really be good, you have to make a commitment,” Anderson said. “Arnold puts the time in.”
Trevor Frisby | sr. | Meadowdale
Meadowdale coach Josh Knowles said Frisby has committed himself to getting the most out of his considerable talent, playing as much tournament golf as he could during the offseason to test himself in the crucible of competition.
Knowles said that if Frisby continues to putt and chip well — he was the medalist in each of the Mavericks’ first two events this spring — he will improve on his 34th-place finish at the Class 3A boys state tournament last May.
“He has all the shots that are needed for golf,” Knowles said. “He can get out of trouble anywhere, he can hit a long drive and he can hit a big putt. He has a really good repertoire.”
Ben Thacker | sr. | Arch. Murphy
Thacker will lead the way for a Wildcat boys team that has designs on a Class 2A state championship this season, a squad that coach Jack Serwold calls the best the program has ever produced.
Thacker finished tied for ninth at state last season, shooting under 80 in both rounds.
Serwold raves about Thacker’s work ethic and self-confidence.
“He’s a marvelous young man that is also our student body president,” Serwold said. “He works hard in everything he does, and our whole team looks up to him. He’s our leader and our team captain.”
Serwold said Thacker is an all-around player.
“Ben is good with every club in his bag,” Serwold said. “He’s a great putter and chipper and has great confidence in himself. He’s just a really good player.”
Renee Kwak | jr. | Kamiak
At her best, the Kamiak junior looks like the very picture of a golfer off the tee.
Using her long and lean 5-foot-9 frame to generate speed on the club head through the ball, Kwak is longer off the tee than most and is learning to harness her emotions.
“She’s a bright girl and a smart player who knows how and where to play the ball, but I wanted her to work on learning to relax,” Knights coach Bud Davis said. “She finished 21st at state as a freshman and set expectations of finishing in the top five last year, but her emotions got in the way of that.”
Kwak finished tied for 27th as a sophomore, but played in Washington Junior Golf Association and American Junior Golf Association events in the offseason to sharpen her skills against top competition.
She’ll front a talented Kamiak lineup that features freshman Rachel Ponting and returning state placers Hannah Lee and Olivia Kim.
Megan Christie | sr. | Glacier Peak
Christie achieved her 2014 season goal of shooting a tournament round in the 80s in the first match of the Grizzlies’ season, and finished the campaign with a top-20 placing at the Class 3A girls state tournament.
After a summer honing her game on her own at Snohomish Golf Course and Legion Memorial Golf Course in Everett, Christie is looking to break into the 70s with regularity as a senior.
“Megan gets a lot of rounds of golf in over the summer and that work ends up paying off,” Glacier Peak coach Kelven May said. “She’s always been pretty consistent, but she’s been working on getting more distance on her drives to put her in better position to score. She’s the most consistent scorer we have, but it’s just about getting those bogeys down to pars.”
Hannah Roh | jr. | King’s
Roh helped lead the King’s girls to the Class 1A state team title as a sophomore last season, along with Charis Tsai, who was then a junior.
Roh, who started playing golf just four or five years ago, according to King’s coach Simonette Sancho, has made up for lost time in a big way.
“Her biggest talent is her determination,” Sancho said. “She’s decided that she really enjoys golf and plays year-round. She gets a lot of joy in seeing how she can keep improving in competition.”
Roh placed fourth as an individual at state last spring, and given her consistency, is a good bet to at least equal that performance as a junior.
“Hannah is really solid mentally,” Sancho said. “She focuses a lot on her game and is always at the golf course working on her game.”
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