Rabbich targeting professional ranks

CHRIS RABBICH believes he has become a more accomplished and complete golfer following his move to America.

The 20-year-old from Shaw is on a four-year golfing scholarship to Oklahoma Christian University.

It is an opportunity for Rabbich, who still plays at Crompton and Royton, to concentrate on his golf as well as furthering his academic studies.

The opportunity to play golf almost every day has helped Rabbich hone his skills and work at perfecting his game.

Rabbich, back home at the end of his first year, said:

“I get the chance to play almost every afternoon on decent courses and feel my game has improved a lot in the year I have spent at Oklahoma.

“While I am still playing off scratch here, the scores I have gained in America would give me a handicap of plus two were they to count here.”

He has competed in three college tournaments achieving two top-10 finishes and in the other was in the leading 20 players.

Rabbich, a former pupil at Royton and Crompton School, could not wish for a better place to play with Oklahoma Christian University number one in the American college rankings for golf.

And he could not have a better coach and mentor at Oklahoma than Kelsey Cline, the former American PGA Tour player.

Rabbich admitted it was hard moving away from family and friends, but says there is no way he is going to allow pangs of homesickness to stand in the way of an opportunity of a lifetime.

And looking to the future, Rabbich has a dream to become a professional.

“I am hoping that at the end of four years that I will get a chance to compete on one of the professional tours, either here or in America,” he explained.

Rabbich added the only disappointment has been the weather in Oklahoma which he describes as sometimes being cold and windy.

“They are not ideal conditions for playing golf, though they are still better than here!,” he declared.