Colby Berberich wins the Southern Oaks Club Championship in Abbeville

Colby Berberich might be the only person to win the Southern Oaks Club Championship twice with a 14-year gap between his first and second titles.
On Sunday, 32-year-old Berberich held off Christopher Cain to win the club championship by just one stroke. Berberich finished with a two-day total of 146 (73-73), while Cain came in second with 147 (76-71).
Berberich first won the club championship at 18, just a year after graduating from Vermilion Catholic in 2011. Since then, he has only played in the tournament four times, including this year. Work commitments and raising a young family kept him from competing more often.
When asked if he thought he could win the club championship before the weekend, Berberich confidently said yes.
“That is the only way to win a tournament if you have the mindset that you are playing to win it,” said Berberich.
After the first day, Berberich led Ryan David, a former club champion, by two strokes. Christopher Cain was three shots behind Berberich. Reflecting on his performance, Berberich said he was happy, but not super happy with the first day’s score. “Coming into Sunday, I was nervous. I was more nervous than I wanted to be.”
He explained that part of his nerves came from not playing in a competitive tournament for about eight years. “Playing in this tournament means a lot to me.”
On Sunday, Berberich seemed to have the tournament in hand, leading by as many as 7 strokes. Going into No. 18, a par-five hole, he was ahead of Cain by five strokes. He just needed to avoid going out of bounds or hitting into the water to secure the title.
His tee shot went right and ended up in the tall grass, so he had to lay up on his second shot. From about 140 yards out, he hit his next shot a bit too easily, and the ball landed in the water before the green.
“I was not expecting that (to go in the water),” he said. “I was expecting it to be a good shot and fly over the water.”
On his fifth shot, he was still 60 yards from the green. His chip landed on the green but rolled off the side, leaving him with a downhill chip. He ended up two-putting for an eight, with his last putt being a tough eight-footer.
“I knew I had to make something happen after those shots,” he added.
Berberich was not completely sure he had won until Cain walked over and congratulated him. Cain made par on the final hole. After the golfers walked off the 18th green, a small crowd of club members and friends who had gathered near the green, applauded. Several members approached, hugged, and congratulated him.
“I’m happy to win, but I wish I had played better on the last hole. Everyone was watching.”

Side Notes:

• Last year’s repeat club champion John Tomassini did not play in this year’s club championship because he was on vacation.

• J.R. Hollier won the Fourth Flight with a two-day total of 173 (88-85. Hollier is only 14 years old.

Here are the top finishers in each flight os this weekend’s Southern Oaks Club Championship.

Championship flight

1. Colby Berberich (73-73) 146
2. Christopher Cain (76-71) 147
3. (tie) Dustin Bertrand (77-72) 149
Brennan Deslatte (80-69) - 149

First Flight
1. Reed Freeman (73-72) 145
2. Garrett Becker (77-76) 153
3. Hayden Patin (80-77) 157

Second Flight

1. Sawyer Stover (79-77) 156
2. Drake Broussard (81-76) 157
3. Eric Bourque (83-76) 159

Third Flight

1. Duane Dartez (86-90) 176
2. Dylan Wiggins (89-88) 177
3. (tie) Greg Harrington (84-94) 178
Brennan Gallet (83-95) 178

Fourth Flight
1. J.R. Hollier (88-85) 173
2. Nick Daigle (95-92) 187
3. Ross Dartez (100-90) 190

Ladies Flight
1. Heather Mayard (84-95) 179
2. Ranette Cuccio (111-103) 214
3. Jennifer Milligan (110-109) 219

Super Seniors
1. Duane Lege (77-80) 157

Seniors
1. Byron Mancuso (82-83) 165

Legends
1. Murphy Guilbeaux (80-82) - 162