Hahn is first alternate

Bryce Alderton

Paul Hahn thought it was a joke.

The package which arrived at his doorstep the morning of May 12

contained an invitation to a golf tournament.

But not just any tournament.

Hahn, the head golf professional at Newport Beach Country Club,

received a letter from the PGA of America’s David Charles, informing

him he is an alternate into the Senior PGA Championship, scheduled

May 26-29 at the Laurel Valley Country Club in Ligonier, Pa.

But where Hahn began on the alternate list and the sudden rise

toward the top has him shaking.

“Time to get nervous, huh,” Hahn said Friday after he received a

call from a PGA of America official informing the Newport Beach

Country Club head pro he had moved from third to first alternate.

If a player already entered into the field withdraws, Hahn would

secure a spot into the 156-player field.

On Thursday Hahn received a phone call from a tournament official

informing him he had moved from ninth to third on the alternate list.

Hahn will leave Sunday, for Pennsylvania.

The field includes defending champion Hale Irwin, a two-time

winner of the Toshiba Senior Classic, held at Newport Beach Country

Club.

Hahn played in the last two Toshiba Senior Classics.

He netted $928 from the 2004 Toshiba Senior Classic. Hahn’s place

on the Champions Tour’s 2004 money list makes him eligible for the

Senior PGA Championship.

“Obviously, if I wasn’t on the money list, I wouldn’t have

received the letter,” Hahn said. Charles is the tournament director.

“I thought someone was pulling a joke on me,” said Hahn when asked

about opening the envelope that contained the letter.

Hahn, 51, said he hasn’t played that much since the Toshiba and

doesn’t plan on upping his practice time leading into the tournament.

“I’m going to go back, have a good time and see what a golf course

is like for a major championship,” said Hahn. Wife Marlene and

daughter Hayley will accompany Hahn on the trip.

Hahn will play three practice rounds Monday through Wednesday of

tournament week and said he likely won’t know if he made the field

until Thursday morning.

If he gets that far, anything can happen.

“As [Newport Beach Country Club assistant pro] Bruce [Hooper]

pointed out to me, John Daly was the ninth alternate in 1991 when he

won the PGA Championship.”