Russ Cochran

For the comics publisher, see Russ Cochran (publisher).

Not to be confused with Russ Cochrane.

Russ Cochran
Personal information
Full name	Russell Earl Cochran
Born	(1958-10-31) October 31, 1958 (age 66) Paducah, Kentucky, U.S.
Height	6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Weight	190 lb (86 kg; 14 st)
Sporting nationality	United States
Residence	Paducah, Kentucky, U.S.
Career
College	University of Kentucky
Turned professional	1979
Current tour(s)	PGA Tour Champions
Former tour(s)	PGA Tour
Professional wins	10
Highest ranking	64 (June 14, 1992) [1]
Number of wins by tour
PGA Tour	1
PGA Tour Champions	5
Other	4
Best results in major championships
Masters Tournament	T21: 1993
PGA Championship	T7: 1992
U.S. Open	T33: 1992
The Open Championship	T28: 1992
Achievements and awards
Champions Tour Rookie of the Year 2009

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. ^[2] 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. ^[3] 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." ^[4]

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.	Date	Tournament	Winning score	Margin of victory	Runner-up
1	Jul 7, 1991	Centel Western Open	−13 (66-72-68-69=275)	2 strokes	Greg Norman

PGA Tour playoff record (0–1)

No.	Year	Tournament	Opponent	Result
1	1992	The Tour Championship	Craig Stadler	Lost to birdie on second extra hole

Tournament Players Series wins (2)

No.	Date	Tournament	Winning score	Margin of victory	Runner-up
1	Apr 10, 1983	Magnolia Classic	−7 (70-70-63=203)*	2 strokes	Sammy Rachels
2	Jul 24, 1983	Greater Baltimore Open	−6 (71-70-66-67=274)	1 stroke	Terry Snodgrass

*Note: The 1983 Magnolia Classic was shortened to 54 holes due to weather.

Other wins (2)

No.	Date	Tournament	Winning score	Margin of victory	Runner(s)-up
1	Dec 3, 2011	LIME Jamaica Open	−10 (68-70-68=206)	2 strokes	Dave Levesque, Dave Rummells
2	Dec 1, 2012	Half Moon Jamaica Open (2)	−13 (66-71-66=203)	3 strokes	Dustin Risdon

Other playoff record (0–1)

No.	Year	Tournament	Opponents	Result
1	1991	Deposit Guaranty Golf Classic	Mike Nicolette, Larry Silveira	Silveira won with birdie on first extra hole

Sources: ^{[5] [6] [7]}

Champions Tour wins (5)

Legend
Senior major championships (1)
Other Champions Tour (4)

No.	Date	Tournament	Winning score	Margin of victory	Runner-up
1	Sep 12, 2010	Posco E&C Songdo Championship	−12 (73-65-66=204)	Playoff	Fred Funk
2	Sep 26, 2010	SAS Championship	−14 (64-67-71=202)	2 strokes	Tom Pernice Jr.
3	Jul 24, 2011	The Senior Open Championship	−12 (72-70-67-67=276)	2 strokes	Mark Calcavecchia
4	Jun 2, 2013	Principal Charity Classic	−11 (71-67-67=205)	1 stroke	Jay Don Blake
5	Oct 13, 2013	SAS Championship (2)	−17 (66-66-67=199)	1 stroke	David Frost

Champions Tour playoff record (1–1)

No.	Year	Tournament	Opponent	Result
1	2010	Posco E&C Songdo Championship	Fred Funk	Won with birdie on first extra hole
2	2011	Boeing Classic	Mark Calcavecchia	Lost to birdie on first extra hole

Results in major championships

Tournament	1984	1985	1986	1987	1988	1989
Masters Tournament
U.S. Open				T66
The Open Championship
PGA Championship	T10	CUT		T28	CUT	CUT

Tournament	1990	1991	1992	1993	1994	1995	1996	1997	1998	1999	2000
Masters Tournament			CUT	T21	T33
U.S. Open	CUT		T33	CUT				CUT
The Open Championship			T28
PGA Championship	CUT	CUT	T7	T44	CUT		T17	T61	T34		CUT

  Top 10

  Did not play

CUT = missed the half-way cut
"T" = tied

Summary

Tournament	Wins	2nd	3rd	Top-5	Top-10	Top-25	Events	Cuts made
Masters Tournament	0	0	0	0	0	1	3	2
U.S. Open	0	0	0	0	0	0	5	2
The Open Championship	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	1
PGA Championship	0	0	0	0	2	3	14	7
Totals	0	0	0	0	2	4	23	12

• Most consecutive cuts made – 4 (1992 U.S. Open – 1993 Masters)
• Longest streak of top-10s – 1 (twice)

Results in The Players Championship

Tournament	1984	1985	1986	1987	1988	1989
The Players Championship	T44	CUT	CUT	60	CUT	CUT

Tournament	1990	1991	1992	1993	1994	1995	1996	1997	1998	1999
The Players Championship	CUT	WD	T49	27	T69	CUT		T10	CUT	T71

Tournament	2000	2001
The Players Championship	T61	CUT

  Top 10

  Did not play

CUT = missed the halfway cut
WD = withdrew
"T" = Tied

Senior major championships

Wins (1)

Year	Championship	54 holes	Winning score	Margin	Runner-up
2011	The Senior Open Championship	Tied for lead	−12 (72-70-67-67=276)	2 strokes	Mark Calcavecchia

Results timeline

Results not in chronological order.

Tournament	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021	2022	2023	2024
The Tradition	T41	T18		T5	T5	WD	T57		T47	T43	T53	NT	65		T59
Senior PGA Championship	T33	T23		T29	T6	12	T17		CUT	T56		NT	WD
U.S. Senior Open	3	T28	T17	WD		T14	T15	CUT				NT
Senior Players Championship	T41	T5	T15	T30	WD	3	T3		T71	70	T60	WD	74
The Senior Open Championship	T19	T3	1		T14	T10	T31	T66	T31	72	CUT	NT	CUT	T58	CUT	WD

  Win

  Top 10

  Did not play

CUT = missed the half-way cut
WD = withdrew
"T" = tied
NT = No tournament due to COVID-19 pandemic

See also

• 1982 PGA Tour Qualifying School graduates
• 1995 PGA Tour Qualifying School graduates
• 2001 PGA Tour Qualifying School graduates
• 2003 PGA Tour Qualifying School graduates

References

1. "Week 24 1992 Ending 14 Jun 1992" (pdf). OWGR . Retrieved October 29, 2019.
2. Cochran wins Western Open
3. "Golf Major Championships" . Retrieved January 23, 2008.
4. "Cochran wins Senior British Open Championship". Sky Sports. July 24, 2011. Retrieved July 25, 2011.
5. "12 Sep 1984, 20 - The Sacramento Bee at Newspapers.com" . Retrieved August 3, 2021– via newspapers.com.
6. "American Cochran Tops 48th LIME Open". The Gleaner. December 4, 2011. Retrieved May 8, 2020.
7. Frater, Adrian (December 2, 2012). "Russ Cochran Tops Them Again". The Gleaner. Retrieved May 8, 2020.

External links

• Russ Cochran at the PGA Tour official site
• Russ Cochran at the Official World Golf Ranking official site