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Russ Cochran

American professional golfer (born 1958)


Summary

American professional golfer (born 1958)

FieldValue
nameRuss Cochran
imagesize
fullnameRussell Earl Cochran
birth_date
birth_placePaducah, Kentucky, U.S.
death_date
height
weight190 lb
nationality
residencePaducah, Kentucky, U.S.
collegeUniversity of Kentucky
yearpro1979
tourPGA Tour Champions
extourPGA Tour
prowins10
pgawins1
champwins5
otherwins4
majorwins
mastersT21: 1993
usopenT33: 1992
openT28: 1992
pgaT7: 1992
wghofid
wghofyear
award1Champions Tour
Rookie of the Year
year12009
awardssection

Rookie of the Year](champions-tour-rookie-of-the-year) Russell Earl Cochran (born October 31, 1958) is an American professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour Champions, having previously been a member on the PGA Tour and the Nationwide Tour. He is one of the few natural left-handed players to win a PGA Tour event. For much of the 1980s through 1992, he was the only left-hander on the PGA Tour.

Early life and amateur career

Cochran was born, raised and has lived most of his life in Paducah, Kentucky. He grew up playing on Paxton Park Public Golf Course in Paducah, as did fellow PGA Tour player Kenny Perry, who came along a couple years later.

After graduating from St. Mary High School in Paducah, he attended the University of Kentucky and was a member of the golf team.

Professional career

In 1979, Cochran turned pro. He joined the PGA Tour in 1982.

Cochran has about 60 top-10 finishes in official PGA Tour events including a victory at the 1991 Centel Western Open when he made up seven shots over eight holes to beat Greg Norman. His career year was 1991, when in addition to his win at the Western Open, he had two second-place finishes—including a playoff loss to Craig Stadler at the Tour Championship – and a third and finished 10th on the money list. His best finish in a major was a tie for seventh at the 1992 PGA Championship. Cochran set the Valhalla Golf Club course record (65) in the third round of the 1996 PGA Championship which stood until broken (63) in the same tournament four years later by José María Olazábal. He played some on the Nationwide Tour in his mid-to-late 40s in preparation for the Champions Tour. His best Nationwide finish was a tie for third at the 2003 Chitimacha Louisiana Open.

Senior career

Cochran debuted on the Champions Tour with a tie for seventh at the Allianz Championship on February 15, 2009, at Boca Raton, Florida. He finished third at the U.S. Senior Open on August 2, 2009, at Carmel, Indiana, setting the Crooked Stick Golf Club course record with a third-round score of 8-under par 64. He ended the year by winning the Rookie of the Year award. In 2010, he earned his first victory on the Champions Tour, defeating Fred Funk on the first hole of a sudden-death playoff in the Posco E&C Songdo Championship in South Korea, and followed that up with another win in the tour's next event, the SAS Championship in North Carolina.

Cochran won his maiden senior major championship at the 2011 Senior British Open Championship at Walton Heath. Cochran finished two strokes ahead of the third round leader Mark Calcavecchia. He shot a final round 67 which included six birdies in the first ten holes to open up a five stroke advantage. Despite a late charge by Calcavecchia, Cochran parred the last four holes and held on for a two stroke victory. Afterwards Cochran claimed having his son on the bag was a factor in his success. "It feels great, I had my son (Reed) on the bag, I told him I was going to work hard and come away with something good and I think he was the lucky charm."

In June 2013, Cochran won for the fourth time on the Champions Tour at the Principal Charity Classic. He came from two shots back with a final round 67 to finish a single stroke ahead of Jay Don Blake. This ended a two-year title drought that Cochran had spent battling rib and wrist injuries. In October 2013, he won his second title of the year at the SAS Championship, where he finished with four consecutive birdies to beat David Frost by a single stroke.

Personal life

Cochran and his wife, Jackie, have four children: three sons and a daughter. His oldest son, Ryan, played golf at the University of Florida and aspires to play professionally like his father. Russ's son Case and nephew Rick III are also professional golfers.

Professional wins (10)

PGA Tour wins (1)

No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin of
victoryRunner-up
1Jul 7, 1991Centel Western Open−13 (66-72-68-69=275)2 strokesAUS Greg Norman

PGA Tour playoff record (0–1)

No.YearTournamentOpponentResult
11992The Tour ChampionshipUSA Craig StadlerLost to birdie on second extra hole

Tournament Players Series wins (2)

No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin of
victoryRunner-up
1Apr 10, 1983Magnolia Classicname=weatherShortened to 54 holes due to weather.}}2 strokesUSA Sammy Rachels
2Jul 24, 1983Greater Baltimore Open−6 (71-70-66-67=274)1 strokeUSA Terry Snodgrass

Other wins (2)

No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin of
victoryRunner(s)-up
1Dec 3, 2011LIME Jamaica Open−10 (68-70-68=206)2 strokesCAN Dave Levesque, USA Dave Rummells
2Dec 1, 2012Half Moon Jamaica Open (2)−13 (66-71-66=203)3 strokesCAN Dustin Risdon

Other playoff record (0–1)

No.YearTournamentOpponentsResult
11991Deposit Guaranty Golf ClassicUSA Mike Nicolette, USA Larry SilveiraSilveira won with birdie on first extra hole

Sources:

Champions Tour wins (5)

Legend
Senior major championships (1)
Other Champions Tour (4)
No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin of
victoryRunner-up
1Sep 12, 2010Posco E&C Songdo Championship−12 (73-65-66=204)PlayoffUSA Fred Funk
2Sep 26, 2010SAS Championship−14 (64-67-71=202)2 strokesUSA Tom Pernice Jr.
3Jul 24, 2011The Senior Open Championship−12 (72-70-67-67=276)2 strokesUSA Mark Calcavecchia
4Jun 2, 2013Principal Charity Classic−11 (71-67-67=205)1 strokeUSA Jay Don Blake
5Oct 13, 2013SAS Championship (2)−17 (66-66-67=199)1 strokeZAF David Frost

Champions Tour playoff record (1–1)

No.YearTournamentOpponentResult
12010Posco E&C Songdo ChampionshipUSA Fred FunkWon with birdie on first extra hole
22011Boeing ClassicUSA Mark CalcavecchiaLost to birdie on first extra hole

Results in major championships

Tournament198419851986198719881989
Masters Tournament
U.S. OpenT66
The Open Championship
PGA ChampionshipT10CUTT28CUTCUT
Tournament19901991199219931994199519961997199819992000
Masters TournamentCUTT21T33
U.S. OpenCUTT33CUTCUT
The Open ChampionshipT28
PGA ChampionshipCUTCUTT7T44CUTT17T61T34CUT

CUT = missed the half-way cut

"T" = tied

Summary

TournamentWins2nd3rdTop-5Top-10Top-25EventsCuts madeTotals0000242312
Masters Tournament00000132
U.S. Open00000052
The Open Championship00000011
PGA Championship000023147
  • Most consecutive cuts made – 4 (1992 U.S. Open – 1993 Masters)
  • Longest streak of top-10s – 1 (twice)

Results in The Players Championship

Tournament198419851986198719881989
The Players ChampionshipT44CUTCUT60CUTCUT
Tournament1990199119921993199419951996199719981999
The Players ChampionshipCUTWDT4927T69CUTT10CUTT71
Tournament20002001
The Players ChampionshipT61CUT

CUT = missed the halfway cut

WD = withdrew

"T" = Tied

Senior major championships

Wins (1)

YearChampionship54 holesWinning scoreMarginRunner-up
2011The Senior Open ChampionshipTied for lead−12 (72-70-67-67=276)2 strokesUSA Mark Calcavecchia

Results timeline

Results not in chronological order.

Tournament2009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024
The TraditionT41T18T5T5WDT57T47T43T53NT65T59
Senior PGA ChampionshipT33T23T29T612T17CUTT56NTWD
U.S. Senior Open3T28T17WDT14T15CUTNT
Senior Players ChampionshipT41T5T15T30WD3T3T7170T60WD74
The Senior Open ChampionshipT19T31T14T10T31T66T3172CUTNTCUTT58CUTWD

CUT = missed the half-way cut

WD = withdrew

"T" = tied

NT = No tournament due to COVID-19 pandemic

Notes

References

References

  1. [https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=kLUyAAAAIBAJ&sjid=wBIEAAAAIBAJ&pg=4856,1826711&dq=russ+cochran+greg+norman&hl=en Cochran wins Western Open]
  2. "Golf Major Championships".
  3. (2011-07-24). "Cochran wins Senior British Open Championship". Sky Sports.
  4. "12 Sep 1984, 20 - The Sacramento Bee at Newspapers.com".
  5. (December 4, 2011). "American Cochran Tops 48th LIME Open".
  6. Frater, Adrian. (December 2, 2012). "Russ Cochran Tops Them Again".
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