Brian BARNES

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Scotland

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Photo/Foto: George Herringshaw

Date: 01 January 1974

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- DATE OF BIRTH
  Sunday, 03 June 1945
- PLACE OF BIRTH
  Addington, England. Died 9th. September 2019 aged 74.

INTERNATIONAL
Scotland
- Championship Performances
  (Top 20 finishes)
  Open: 5th 1972, 6th= 1968, 10th= 1973, 14th 1976, 14th= 1981.
  Ryder Cup: 1971-79 (6) (P25, W10, H1, L14).

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Brian BARNES - Scotland - Brief biography of his golfing career.

1964 - 1973. Missed chance at 1968 Open.

Brian died on 9th September 2019 aged 74 of cancer. He was with his two

children Didi and Guy at his home. His wife Hilary, the daughter of Max Faulkner (1916-2005)

the 1951 Open Champion, died in 2014.

Brian Barnes turned professional after winning the 1964 Youths' Championship and although he went on to enjoy a fair amount of success during his career there is the distinct feeling that he could have achieved so much more. Perhaps it may have been a different story if Barnes had been crowned Open Champion in 1968 when he finished six strokes behind the winner Gary Player. The telling point came in the third round when the eccentric Scotsman shot an 80 compared to Player's 71. Barnes finished with a 71 whilst the South African carded a 73 but the damage had been done and he had to settle for sixth place. The following year saw Brian make his Ryder Cup debut but it was not a happy experience as he failed to register a point from his three matches in a 16-16 draw.

He retained his place in the team for the 1971 Ryder Cup and picked up his first point in the event when beating Mason Rudolph one up on the last day morning singles. He also defeated Miller Barber 2&1 in the afternoon singles but was defeated in partnership with Christy O'Connor Snr in the morning four-balls of day two as the Americans retained the trophy with a 19-13 triumph. Barnes produced his best ever finish of 5th in the 1972 Open but he never seriously threatened the winner Lee Trevino,whose score of 6 under was five shots clear of the Scot. There was victory at the Martini International of that year and the consistent Barnes continued to figure prominently in the European Order of Merit. In the 1973 Ryder Cup he started in fine fashion with two wins but then slipped to four straight defeats as the Americans eased to a 19-13 success. (David Scranage)

1974 onwards. Memorable 1975 Ryder Cup & thrilling TPC win.

Brian Barnes enjoyed success at the 1974 Dutch Open and the French Open of 1975 and later that year he enjoyed a memorable final day in the Ryder Cup, defeating Jack Nicklaus in both the morning and afternoon singles. Nicklaus was the reigning Masters and PGA Champion at the time but suffered 4&2 and 2&1 defeats to the irrepressible Scotsman. It was not enough to stave off another defeat,however,as the Americans enjoyed a comfortable 21-11 victory. There were further wins at the 1976 Sun Alliance PGA Match-Play Championship,the Spanish and Greater Manchester Opens of 1978 and the Portuguese,Italian and Zambia Opens the following year.

During that period he featured in both the 1977 and '79 Ryder Cups with the latter proving to be his final appearance in the competition. In '77 he scored one point from three in a 12-7 defeat and two years later he turned in his best performance in the event when notching three points from five as the first ever European team went down by 17 points to 11. Barnes won his last tour event in 1981 when lifting the Tournament Players Championship in quite magnificent fashion. His final round 62,which included just 28 strokes for the back nine,took him into a play-off with Brian Waites which he then won after four holes. Brian Barnes can look back on a fine career which produced an array of tournament victories but there is still that nagging feeling that he didn't quite do justice to his prodigious talent. (David Scranage)

Brian Barnes won nine European PGA Tour events between 1972 and 1981.

runner up(s)

1   10 Jun 1972   Martini International   −11 (72-69-70-66=277)   1 stroke      Jack Newton
2   11 Aug 1974   Dutch Open   −5 (71-69-71=211)      5 strokes   Peter Oosterhuis, Simon Owen, Glenn Raplh
3     4 May 1975   French Open                  -7 (68-69-71-73=281)    2 strokes    Neil Coles, Eamonn Darcy, Dale Hayes, John O'Leary
4   5 Sep 1976    Sun Alliance Match Play 3 & 2                                             Craig Defoy
5    22 Apr 1978   Spanish Open      −12 (67-75-70-64=276)   2 strokes   Howard Clark
6   18 Jun 1978   Greater Manchester    −5 (69-71-69-66=275)       Playoff   Bob Charles, Denis Durnian, Nick Job
7   15 Apr 1979   Portuguese Open      −5 (69-75-71-72=287)   2 strokes      Francisco Abreu
8      6 May 1979   Italian Open                   −7 (73-70-71-67=281)   Playoff      Dale Hayes
9   13 Sep 1981   Haig Whisky TPC −8 (73-70-71-62=276)      Playoff         Brian Waites