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Girls Golf: Maine South grad Oberheide shakes rust at State Am
Rachel Oberheide qualified for the Class AA state meet her senior year at Maine South, in 2009. | Brian O'Mahoney~Sun-Times Media
Updated: July 23, 2012 6:38AM
Last week’s tournament at Ravisloe Country Club signaled a new start for Rachel Oberheide.
After leaving the Drake golf program her freshman year, the 2010 Maine South graduate returned to competitive golf at the Illinois State Women’s Amateur, in Homewood.
Oberheide hadn’t played a tournament round in more than a year, but she showed she still has enough game to hang with the state’s best players.
Oberheide advanced to the semifinals of the first flight before losing to Loyola-Chicago’s Rachel Mayer 2-up.
“It was great to see I can keep up with Division I athletes,” Oberheide said. “That gives me great confidence.”
Following a standout prep career with the Hawks, Oberheide played golf at Drake. But she realized the school wasn’t for her and returned to Park Ridge.
“I wasn’t happy there,” she said. “Just wanted the right fit. It’s a great program, but it wasn’t for me.”
Once home, Oberheide took time off from the game to recharge and consider her future. She hopes her future includes playing golf again at the collegiate level.
Loyola, Illinois-Chicago, Chicago State and North Central are among the colleges on the top of her list.
“The tournament was good for me to see where my game is right now,” Oberheide said. “But when you don’t play, you lose that special touch. My practice is getting more intense now. I’m fully confident in my game, and I’m excited.
“I have missed the competitiveness of the game.”
Oberheide opened the State Am tournament with an 85, which slotted her in the first flight. In match play, she beat Irene Hickey in 19 holes before losing to Mayer.
New Trier graduate Elizabeth Szokol beat Michelle Mayer 4-and-3 to capture the championship.
