When the ‘ribs’ were right…Terry Price (right) with his caddy and son, Sam Price, upon winning the PON German Senior Open in 2012, before being hit by Jake Trbojevic.
Top Australian golfer Terry Price knows what Scotland’s league players will be feeling when they are on the end of a rib rattler from Manly lock Jake Trbojevic this weekend.
Price, who began his illustrious professional career in 1978, was enjoying a pro-am event at Wakehurst Golf Club last year with Manly great Jamie Lyon when the Queenslander felt the force of a Trbojevic blow.
“Jake went to chip up to the green, but he skulled his shot and the ball flew straight into Terry’s ribs. I think it broke two of them,’’ Lyon recalled with a smile.
“Poor Terry just dropped to the ground in sheer pain. Jake didn’t know what to do.
“Terry was a great bloke. We had a good round with him, even though Jake hit him.”
In telling the yarn, Lyon can’t help but chuckle. He loves nothing more than ‘ribbing’ his golfing mate who idolises Jordan Spieth.
“Jake is a good golfer. He has only been playing about 12 months and has gone from a 33 handicap to about a 14 marker,’’ said Lyon, currently playing off 5 himself.
“He is going really well although he has let me down in team events. When he is not on my side, he plays well, but when we play together, he is terrible. But he does have a very good chipping game now, not like the day when he hit Terry.”
Asked what Jake’s weakness on the fairways was, Lyon wasted little time.
“His worst trait is the shanks. When he has one, he will have at least 12 a round. They are contagious,’’ Lyon said, laughing.
“It wasn’t just Terry Price he hit though. He also nearly hit one of our playing partners out of a bunker at Mona Vale Golf Course one day. Jake has got that reputation at the moment.”
Jake confirmed the Price incident in between preparing for the Bravehearts.
“The time I hit Terry Price, I’ve never felt so bad in my life,’’ Jake said.
“I could have dug a hole and hid. ‘Killer’ is right though, I am a serial shanker, but I do chip as good as Spieth.”
Lyon, and for that matter, league tragic Price, will be hoping Trbojevic develops a reputation as a Kangaroos enforcer when the 22-year-old Mona Vale Raiders junior makes his Australian Test debut in Hull after playing just 47 NRL games.
“Jake will be nervous, don’t worry about that. As nervous as he is when he stands over a short putt for birdie,’’ Lyon quipped.
“Seriously, I’m so proud of him. I’m not surprised of his selection. It was always a matter of not if, but when, will he play for Australia.
“Pulling on the green and gold jersey is the biggest achievement a player can have personally. I always wanted to play for Australia from when I was five years old. I’m sure Jake was the same.
“He is going to be one happy person….looks like I will have to give golf a miss on Saturday just to watch Jake play.”
And when Trbojevic does return home, Lyon may just shout his mate a golf lesson at the Terry Price Golf School on the sunny Gold Coast.
“We will work on those shanks…might even have ribs for dinner,’’ Lyon laughed.
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