Hortonville’s Olivia Kernen guides golf team to state

A season capped off with a trip to state, completed a stellar 2025 campaign with many accolades along the way, including a Fox Valley Association championship and a regional title for the Hortonville Polar Bears girls’ golf team. It also wrapped up the high school career of senior standout Olivia Kernen.

Olivia, who was a Fox Valley Association Honorable Mention in 2024 and 2025, played some of her best golf in the postseason, shooting an 82 in the Appleton West regional, which was the best individual score at the tournament.

Picking up the clubs at the age of seven, Olivia was introduced to golf through coach Travis Bauers’ junior summer clinic.

Golf might not have been her first sport, but she would eventually find a passion for the game. “I used to play volleyball and I never thought I would love a sport more, but when I received a golf lesson from Bob Burns, I fell in love with the game”.

Embracing the challenges of golf, Olivia sees herself enjoying being on the course for years to come. “Golf has taught me many lessons and has given me so much determination and patience. I love this sport, because it is a game I can play for the rest of my life and I will never have to say goodbye.”

Taking golf more seriously when she turned 14, Olivia learned to balance her time between her athletics and academics. “Freshman and sophomore year, it was hard to get used to missing school for meets, but by junior year, it was easier as I learned how to manage my time. Academics are important to me, and I learned how to get my work done and access teacher help when I missed classes.”

Olivia’s persistence has been a key to her success, looking to the 2025 Masters Tournament champion as someone to emulate when it comes to perseverance. “I look up to Rory McIlroy. He has so much determination and patience. It took him 11 years to win his career grand slam, and he never gave up.”

That similar mindset is something Olivia feels is her greatest strength as she competes, “My biggest asset is my mental game. I go into every meet with a positive mindset. Every shot is a new opportunity.”

As Olivia reflects on her time in the Hortonville golf program, she has plenty of memories, including the ones she made in her senior season, “ My favorite memories of high school golf were winning each milestone on the path to state. It was win after win after win, and I could not ask for a better senior season. Going to state was the top memory.”

Olivia is grateful for the coaches and teammates that have helped her along the way, “I’d love to shout out Coach Travis Bauer, Coach Mike Johnson, and Bob Burns (private instructor). Thank you for always believing in me and pushing me to be the best golfer I can be. I’d also like to shout out my teammate, Camryn Breaker, because she and I have been golfing together since we were in elementary school.”

Having accomplished so many goals in golf, Olivia will cherish the memories of how she grew on and off the course. “As a senior, reflecting on high school and seeing personal and athletic growth is so rewarding. There is a sense of accomplishment knowing that all the hard work I put into golf has paid off. The importance of perseverance, which I learned while playing golf, has also helped me in school and will continue to help me in the future.”