United States Adaptive Golf Team member Chris Osborne became the first and only African American player to participate in the Inaugural Cairns Cup held in London. The premier global golf disability match play event was contested Saturday, May 7 with activities running through May 17. Initially scheduled to be held in May 2021 the event was rescheduled twice due to circumstances surrounding COVID-19.
Osborne was one of 16 players selected to represent Team USA and said of his winning team, “We won pretty handily. 6-0 on day 1, 4 -2 on day 2, and closed out with the final 2 points on day 3.” To commemorate his sweetest win and playing on the biggest stage of his career the Birmingham, AL, resident inked a permanent tattoo on his right leg.
The Cairns Cup is a “Ryder Cup Style” match-play event between golfers with various disabilities from Europe and USA and themed: “Disability is not Inability.” The event is also presented as a Disability Golf Festival with the following aims: Establish a competitive event for those with a disability, Raise awareness of disability golf, Provide a platform to raise funds to promote golf to all, and Leave a legacy for future generations.
The tournament (the first of many) sees Europe host Team USA over 3 days playing Four ball better ball, foursomes and singles. Each team consists of 16 players however only 12 will play each day. Each team has at least 6 different disabilities and WHS handicaps ranging from scratch to 54 making the event truly inclusive and available to all golfers who have a disability.
Osborne re-learned the sport he’s played since he was 12 years old, after a motorcycle crash in 2004 left him with one leg. He remains undefeated in match play after nearly a decade. Playing in the Cairns Cup was an honor for the golfer who raised nearly $3,000 on gofundme for the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to cover costs for equipment, stateside tournaments, and practice. “I’m so appreciative of the support from friends, family and even total strangers from around the country who supported this journey,” said 50-year-old Osborne.
“My motto is if I can just show one person they can live a happy and productive life and find something, it might not be golf but find that one something that will carry them through and sustain them in living a happy and successful life, I’ve done my job,” said Osborne, a former Paralong Drive World Record holder, with a distance of 332 yards, and has placed in the top three in adaptive golf tournaments in Atlanta and Chicago.
Osborne serves as public relations manager for the Jefferson County Department of Health and often plays at the Roebuck Municipal Golf Course and around Birmingham with his wife Tiffany and his children, William Jr., 12, and Olivia, 11.
