Schoolboy ‘Chases’ golfing glory
Five unbeaten rounds during last week’s National Golf Championships in Canberra is merely the tip of the iceberg when compiling the current run of success for The Brisbane Golf Club member Chase Oberle.
A member of the Queensland Boys’ Team for the Australian School Sport Championships, Chase broke the Royal Canberra course record on his way to victory in the 36-hole stroke play event, before winning four of his five Match Play events, and halving the fifth.
Following a par round (72) on the first round of play, Chase shot eight-under on the back nine of the Westbourne course for 64, breaking the previous course record of 67. However, because the field was playing preferred lies, the record will not be recognised. However, not surprisingly, Chase won the stroke event.
Then playing No.1 for the Queensland team in the Match Play component of the National Championship, Chase beat his Victorian opponent 5&4, then disposed of South Australia (6&4), ACT (2&1) and NSW (4&2), and halved his match against his West Australia opponent.
He finished top of the Championship points tally, was selected in the All-Australian team, and named captain.
“It is a wonderful achievement, and we are so proud of what he has achieved this year,” said his mum, Brooke.
“Chase is certainly a hard worker and is passionate about golf. He puts in the extra little one percenters, and it is definitely making a difference.
“But, he has a very strong support team, and could not have achieved what he has without that backing.”
At the top of that ‘support’ team currently is BGC Director of Golf Joe Janison and Junior Development Manager Asha Flynn, who work with Chase through the BGC Junior High Performance Program. Chase has been part of the Club’s Junior High Performance Tier One squad since its inception at the start of 2022.
Chase is also a member of Brookwater Golf Club, and McLeod Golf Club, and is currently Club Champion at both. He won the Brookwater Championship in March for the third successive year and has qualified No.1 for the 2024 Championship at McLeod, which is currently underway. If he wins, it will be 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. event. But the teenager was a member of the Division One team which won its third Brisbane District Golf Association Pennant.
In what has been a remarkable year for the 16-year-old St Augustine’s College Year 11 student, Chase has also:
- won the South Australian Junior Masters at Royal Adelaide in January
- represented Queensland in the Interstate Junior Series in Perth in April
- played in Japan in June, representing Australia at the Toyota Junior Golf World Cup, and won the Queensland Junior Amateur at Nudgee by seven with a 72-hole score of 11 under
- and last month was selected to represent Australia – as captain – in the inaugural USGA vs GA Junior Team, playing a Ryder Cup style format at Sentry World, Wisconsin
- Selected to represent Australia at the IMG Academy World Junior Championships in Torrey Pines, South Course, San Diego prior to the event above
Not surprisingly, BGC Director of Golf Joe Janison is effusive in his praise of Chase, not only as a golfer but as an example to other aspiring Champions.
“Chase is a wonderful young man and we are so pleased to see his hard work paying off with his success, particularly this year,” he said.
“The combination of his impressive skill and dedication to improvement will, I have no doubt, lead to more success in the future. Despite this outstanding run of recent success, I have a feeling the best is yet to come.” – TONY DURKIN
