Chase wins the Gary Player

BGCs Chase Oberle has added another title to his outstanding 2024 record, winning the prestigious Gary Player Classic last week, and in the process penning his lowest-ever round.

Chase smashed the field in the 16-17-year category, winning his division by 11 shots with a four-round total of 272 (66,70,73,63). His final round of nine-under 63 is a career best for the 16-year-old St Augustine’s College Year 11 student.

Not only did Chase win his age division with his 16-under par score, but he returned the best score of the Classic, beating allcomers.

Fellow BGC member and 2023 Club Champion, Taj Egea, won the 18-20 category with a card of 290 (75,68,73,74) while the under 15 Division was won by Dallas Douglas of Charters Towers, who penned 303 (71,76,78,78).

For Chase, the victory was sweet revenge after he was runner-up last year, and he regarded the tournament success as one of his wins best of the year, alongside the Queensland Junior.

“Overall, I played really well. A lot better than expected,” he said, explaining that his simple goal was to make pars.

“I find that when I aim for pars I play more consistently, and I know that birdies will come. And they did, with a couple of chip ins and some important up and downs.”

But despite the impressive victory, and the margin of the winning score, Chase was disappointed he missed the Pacific Golf Club record by a shot on the final day.

“I putted for birdie on the last, lipped out, and then three putted,” he revealed.

Chase has continued what has been an extraordinary year, with his most recent feat prior to the Gary Player Classic five unbeaten rounds at the Australian School Sport National Golf Championships in Canberra last month.

As well as breaking the Royal Canberra course record on his way to victory in the 36-hole stroke play event, Chase finished top of the Championship points tally, was selected in the All-Australian team, and named captain.

A member at both Brookwater and McLeod as well as BGC, he won the Brookwater Championship in March for the third successive year and the 2024 Championship at McLeod, his fourth title in a row.

And while he did not compete in the BGC Championships Match Play this year – he was playing overseas – he qualified No.2 after the stroke play component of the event. But he was a member of the Division One team – with Taj Egea – which won its third Brisbane District Golf Association Pennant

Other eye-popping achievements in 2024 have been: winning the South Australian Junior Masters at Royal Adelaide in January; representing Queensland in the Interstate Junior Series in Perth in April; playing in Japan in June, representing Australia at the Toyota Junior Golf World Cup;  wining the Queensland Junior Amateur at Nudgee in June by seven, with a 72-hole score of 11 under; selection to represent Australia – as captain – in the inaugural USGA v GA Junior Team, playing a Ryder Cup style format at Sentry World, Wisconsin; and selection to represent Australia at the IMG Academy World Junior Championships in Torrey Pines, South Course, San Diego. – TONY DURKIN