Plenty to shout about for Mark

Mark Riley with the trophy.

Cancer all-clear before third win

Golf

FORTY-EIGHT hours after being given the all-clear following a cancer scare, Brookdale’s Mark Riley won the Oldham and District Championship for a third time.

The 50-year-old from Chadderton had plenty to celebrate, though he admitted his health problems often put golfing disappointments into perspective.

Riley, who has beaten cancer three times, said: “I received the results of a biopsy and thankfully was given the all-clear so I can book my holiday for next year.

“I can assure you that once you have had cancer - the treatment at Christie’s is the worst part - you don’t worry about a six-foot putt downhill.”

Riley shot a level-par 66 and three over 69 for a 135 as he won the District Championship for a second time at Oldham. His other triumph was at home-club Brookdale.

He said: “When you play 36 holes on the same day at Oldham it is all about surviving, especially as it was a hot day.

“If you don’t hit the ball well the course can murder you, even more so this year as the rough is very severe because of the weather.

“There was also wind so if you did not hit the ball straight you were in trouble. Everybody was losing balls and I was lucky I lost only one at the 17th in my second round.”

Riley, who is close to achieving scratch status for the first time after beginning the season playing off two, is in a rich vein of form as 24 hours after his victory in the District Championship he landed the Millennium Trophy at Brookdale.

He shot 68-1-67 to add to the previous week’s 67-1-66 as he emerged the victor with a 135-2-133.

And last month, Riley finished runner-up in the men’s Chronicle Cup having been the leader for much of the day only to be pipped by Werneth’s David Whittingham.

“It would be nice to get down to scratch, especially given my age and the fact I am not getting any younger,” he said.

Riley, whose other major triumph was winning the Captain’s Trophy at Wentworth in 2001, has another important date to look forward to.

As he is aged over 50, he is eligible to compete in the Seniors British Open which is to be held at Sunningdale.

Riley, who works for Olympia Furnishings, Ashton, has been accepted to play in a qualifier at Mill Ride, Berkshire, where the top eight will go forward to compete in the main event.

Defending champion Chris Rabbich finished runner-up after shooting 72 and 66 for 138 which was also posted by Oldham’s Mark Furnival who had 68 and 70.

Crompton and Royton’s Dion Norbury (67-4-63) won the first-day prize while in the second the honours went to Andy Allen, also from the High Barn club, with 69-4-65.

The Brierley Cup team even, went to Oldham as Lee Hollin, Rick Fallon, Lee Blainey and Furnival posted a score of 562 - seven clear of the leading four players from Crompton and Royton.