Hahn’s drive to success

Driving plays a big role in golf.

For Paul Hahn, he’s driving 777 miles in three days just to play golf.

The golf professional at Newport Beach Country Club left town Sunday for Paso Robles, close to where he grew up and planned to vacation. The plan is changing course.

Hahn said he expects to return today in the morning to prepare for the 10th annual Jones Cup at Santa Ana Country Club. Hahn can’t miss Wednesday’s event featuring the four country clubs in the Newport-Mesa area.

“I’ve played in every single one of these,” Hahn said before trying to work on his game at The Links Golf Course of Paso Robles Monday. “I have to play. This is absolutely for bragging rights.”

Only once has Hahn and Newport Beach Country Club earned the right to boast at the Jones Cup. Last year, Newport Beach fell short of a second time.

At home, Newport Beach lost out in the two-best-ball format. Three teams entered a playoff, a first in the history of the Jones Cup.

Newport Beach failed to keep up with Big Canyon Country Club, the winner again. Big Canyon won for the sixth time.

Things don’t change much, except for Newport Beach’s team this year.

Hahn is the lone returnee. The new players are women’s champion Debbie Fleming, men’s champion Jeff Wright, senior champion Jan Erik-Palm and assistant golf pro Carlo Borunda.

Both Borunda and Fleming have experienced the Jones Cup. Borunda last competed in 2006, when Newport Beach placed third.

“He advanced to a U.S. Open Section qualifier,” Hahn said of last year’s Lake Merced Golf Club event in which Borunda failed to earn a spot in the U.S. Open at Torrey Pines Golf Course.

“Carlo is a good player and he will be ready.”

Fleming takes over a spot usually secured by another Debbie. Debbie Albright is out.

Fleming last played for Newport Beach in 2007. Back then, she ended Albright’s 11-year run as the women’s club champion.

Albright returned last year after undergoing chemotherapy in the months leading up to Jones Cup. She played well, battling after she was diagnosed with cancer the previous summer.

“It’s going to be interesting,” Hahn said of the additions. “We might surprise a few people and win [like we did in 2004]. We could’ve easily won it outright last year. It was tough not winning at your own place.

“But Santa Ana plays very similar to Newport Beach, the fairways, the greens. It’s going to feel like we’re hitting shots at home.”

Hahn’s been driving a lot to get home. He can’t wait to drive off a tee before stepping on the gas again to return to Paso Robles for some R&R.;