Rabbich lifts district crown

Chris Rabbich (right) receives the trophy from Werneth captain David Whittingham.

AFTER knocking on the door in two recent local majors, it was a case of third time lucky as Chris Rabbich landed the Oldham and District Championship.

The 36-hole event at Werneth saw the 19-year-old from Shaw emerge the victor after gross rounds of 66 and 65.

And scratch-player Rabbich reckons he would have won by a far lower total had his putting matched his overall play.

Rabbich, who described his victory as the best achievement in golf, said: “I was playing well from the tee and hitting the greens in regulation, but I could not hole the putts.

“I missed a couple from two feet and, had I holed everything from inside eight feet, I reckon I could have been 15 or 16 under par as opposed to five under.”

Still the victory was a great lift for Rabbich who is soon to start a four-year scholarship at Oklahoma Christian University, one of the top golfing academies in America.

And Rabbich was delighted with his overall play in the Oldham and District Championship given the wet and windy conditions.

He said: “On the front nine of the opening round the conditions were terrible and I was trying to keep to par which I managed. In fact I would have probably have been happy with being two over as it was so bad.

“The rain cleared and I just had the wind to contend with on the back nine when I was two under par.

“I was three-under-par for the second round, the highlight being my tee shot on the par three 16th which finished one foot from the hole.”

Rabbich finished with seven birdies and two bogeys, an indication as to his level of play as he finished a whopping four shots clear of runner-up Mark Riley, from Brookdale.

The victory came after two near misses after Rabbich finished runner-up in the club championship at Crompton and Royton and also recorded the best gross score in the Chronicle Cup which was hosted by Saddleworth.

And Rabbich, who previously had a handicap of plus one, is regaining his best form after a couple of difficult years.

He had a painful hand problem which was eventually diagnosed as a cyst near the end of his thumb and which was near a nerve.

That was operated on last year and, after two disrupted seasons, Rabbich is just getting back to his best form.

Rabbich had been hoping to move to America a couple of years ago, but was forced to delay his departure due to the problems with his hand, the worst possible complaint for a golfer.

Oklahoma Christian University has a reputation for its golfing prowess and, apart from focusing on developing his game, Rabbich will be continuing his education.

Rabbich had a four-shot margin of victory in the Oldham and District Championship.

Riley finished runner-up after rounds of 66 and 67 for 135, on the card from defending champion Mike Shaw, from Crompton and Royton, who had 64 and 71.

Shaw landed the best nett prize as his 129 comprised scores of 64-3-61 and 71-3-68.