Greenhills Girls Golf Eyes State Finals

The Greenhills Girls Golf team has its sights set firmly on the state finals, and each match this fall has brought them one step closer. With a focused mindset, a tight-knit group of players, and steady improvement across the board, the Gryphons are shaping into a team that could peak at just the right time. Their scores are dropping, their confidence is growing, and they’re showing flashes of the consistency it takes to compete at the highest level.

“Our goal is always to make the state finals,” said head coach Michael Karr. “And this group is getting closer every week.”

That upward trend was on full display at the Clinton Invitational, where Greenhills finished fifth out of ten teams on the same course that will host the regional tournament in October. Despite missing one of its five starters, the team posted a competitive 438. With a full lineup and a few more strokes shaved off, the Gryphons would have been at the front of the pack.

Senior Saaya Doshi is leading the charge. She shot a career-best 96 at the Clinton Invitational, which earned her second place overall and her first top-five finish in a tournament. Just a few days later, she earned medalist honors in a dual match against Father Gabriel Richard with a 46, the lowest nine-hole score of her career.

“Saaya is having her best season yet,” said Karr. “She’s been steady, focused, and confident, and she’s really stepped up when we’ve needed her.”

So has freshman Rania Tajuddin, who has quickly emerged as one of the team’s most consistent scorers. In just her second month of high school golf, she has already posted rounds of 44, 47, and 49, earned a medalist title, and delivered in high-pressure matches.

“We knew she had a little tournament experience coming in, but what she’s doing now has exceeded expectations,” Karr said. “She’s shown she can go low, and we’re counting on her to keep delivering as we head into the postseason.”

Greenhills is also seeing important growth from every corner of its roster. Sophomore Grace Momoh has posted back-to-back rounds in the 50s, and with targeted coaching support, is on track to break into the low 100s over 18 holes. Junior captain Kayla Young is providing leadership on and off the course, doing everything she can to support the team.

With just five players on the roster, each contribution matters, and each player knows exactly what it will take to reach their goal. Karr believes the team needs four players to shoot around 100 or better at regionals to punch their ticket to states. The path is clear. Now it’s about execution.

One key focus area: the short game. While the Gryphons have been strong off the tee, they’ve spent the last few weeks honing their chipping and putting—especially the three- and four-footers that can make or break a round.

“That’s the difference at this level,” Karr said. “We’ve drilled it, we’ve talked about it, and now it’s just about stepping up and trusting what we’ve practiced.”

So far this season, the team is 3–3 in dual matches, with two of those losses coming by razor-thin margins: a one-stroke heartbreaker to Father Gabriel Richard and an eight-stroke duel with Clinton. Those close calls have only sharpened the Gryphons’ determination.

The next big milestone for the team is the Catholic League Championship on September 29 at Flint Country Club—a course Karr describes as “a fair test” that will prepare the team well for regionals the following week.

“We’re trending in the right direction,” he said. “Now it’s about staying focused and making each round count. We believe we can get there.”

And if their steady momentum is any indication, they just might.