Who's who: Brian Barnes

  • Photo of Brian Barnes
  • scotland.png
  • Photo of Brian Barnes
  • scotland.png

Who's who: Brian Barnes

  • Name:

    Brian Barnes
  • Country:

    Scotland
  • Lived:

    [1945-2019]. Born on June 3, 1945 in Addington, nr Croydon, Surrey, England. Died on Sept 9, 2019 in West Sussex, England, aged 74.
  • Original/Home Club:

    Burnham & Berrow GC (where his father was Club Secretary).
  • Occupation:

    Professional golfer, writer, TV commentator.
  • Turned Pro:

    1964

Roll of Honour

Ryder Cup player (1969, '71, '73, '75, '77, '79). Total professional wins (19), including European Tour (9), European Snr Tour (2) and Champions Tour (1), as well as wins in Africa and Australia. European Senior Tour Order of Merit winner (1995).

Did you know?

Although sounding very English, Barnes was the son of a Turnberry-born Scottish father and Glaswegian mother. As such, he represented Scotland during his playing career. One of the most colourful characters on the British golfing scene in the 1970s, '80s and early-90s, Barnes' playing career was brought to a premature end in 2000 by severe arthritis. Throughout the 1970s, Barnes finished every season inside the top 10 of the European Tour Order of Merit.

Amongst his many notable golfing achievements, the pipe-smoking Barnes beat Jack Nicklaus twice on the same day in the 1975 Ryder Cup at Laurel Valley, Pennsylvania. In the morning singles round, the Golden Bear was felled 4&2 by Barnes. On the first-tee of the afternoon singles round, Nicklaus promised Barnes he wouldn't win again. He did, 2&1.

Barnes was married to Hilary Faulkner, the daughter of golf professional and Open Championship winner Max Faulkner. After Barnes finished his professional playing career, he continued his contribution to golf as a writer and television commentator.

Top tournaments won by Brian Barnes

1998
America
277 (-11)
$165,000
AT&T

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Barnes, Brian

Venue

Glencoe

Score

277 (-11)

Prize money

$165,000

Title sponsor

AT&T

Played as the AT&T Canada Senior Open (June 18-21; formerly du Maurier Champions). Second-placed Dana Quigley (USA), Bruce Summerhays (USA) and Tom Jenkins (USA) finished 2 shots behind Barnes (Scot), who recorded his only Snr PGA Tour win. [Glencoe G&CC, Calgary, Alberta, Canada].

Category

Europe

Winner (holder)

Barnes, Brian

Score

277 (-11)

Prize money

£58,330

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Senior British Open (10th) (July 25-28). Second-placed Bob Charles (NZ) and David Oakley (USA) finished 3 shots behind defending champion Barnes (Scot). [Dunluce Links, Royal Portrush GC, Co. Antrim, N. Ireland].

Category

Europe

Winner (holder)

Barnes, Brian

Score

281 (-7)

Prize money

£58,330

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Senior British Open (9th) (July 27-30). Barnes (Scot) beat Bob Murphy (USA) at the third playoff hole. [Dunluce Links, Royal Portrush GC, Co. Antrim, N. Ireland].

1995
Awards
£63,620
see Score
Eurpn Snr Tr

Category

Awards

Winner (holder)

Barnes, Brian

Venue

Score

£63,620

Prize money

see Score

Title sponsor

Eurpn Snr Tr

Barnes (Scot) won the Eurpn Snrs Tr 1995 Order of Merit and associated John Jacobs Trophy, with earnings of £63,620 on the Tour. John Morgan (Eng) was second with £57,984; Brian Huggett (Wales) was third with £50,011.

1981
Africa
274 (-10)
B&H

Category

Africa

Winner (holder)

Barnes, Brian

Score

274 (-10)

Prize money

Title sponsor

B&H

Played as the Benson & Hedges Kenya Open. Won by Barnes (Scot). [Muthaiga GC, Nairobi, Kenya].

1981
Europe
276 (-8)
£10,000
Haig Whisky

Category

Europe

Winner (holder)

Barnes, Brian

Score

276 (-8)

Prize money

£10,000

Title sponsor

Haig Whisky

Played as the Haig Whisky TPC (Sept 10-13). Barnes (Scot) beat Brian Waites (Eng) with a par at the fourth playoff hole, to record the last of his nine European Tour wins. [East course, Dalmahoy Hotel & CC, nr Edinburgh].

1979
Europe
287 (-5)
£4,801
x

Category

Europe

Winner (holder)

Barnes, Brian

Score

287 (-5)

Prize money

£4,801

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Portuguese Open (Apr 12-15; European Tr season-opener). Second-placed Francisco Abreu (Esp) finished 2 shots behind Brian Barnes (Scot). [Old course, Vilamoura GC, Algarve, Portugal].

1979
Europe
281 (-7)
£5,582
x

Category

Europe

Winner (holder)

Barnes, Brian

Score

281 (-7)

Prize money

£5,582

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Italian Open. Barnes (Scot) beat Dale Hayes (RSA) in a sudden-death playoff. [Red course, GC Monticello, Cassina Rizzardi, nr Como].

1978
Europe
275 (-5)
£4,000
x

Category

Europe

Winner (holder)

Barnes, Brian

Score

275 (-5)

Prize money

£4,000

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Greater Manchester Open (June 15-18). Barnes (Scot) beat Bob Charles (NZ), Nick Job (Eng) and Denis Durnian (Eng) with a birdie at the first playoff hole. [Wilmslow GC, Mobberley, Knutsford, Cheshire].

Category

Europe

Winner (holder)

Barnes, Brian

Score

276 (-12)

Prize money

£6,101

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Spanish Open. Second-placed Howard Clark (Eng) finished 2 shots behind Barnes (Scot). [Real (Royal) GC El Prat, El Prat de Llobregat, nr Barcelona Airport. Club now located in Terrassa, nr Barcelona].

1976
Europe
Kings Norton GC
3 & 2
£3,500
Sun Alliance

Category

Europe

Winner (holder)

Barnes, Brian

Venue

Kings Norton GC

Score

3 & 2

Prize money

£3,500

Title sponsor

Sun Alliance

Played as the Sun Alliance Match Play Championship (Sept 2-5). Barnes (Scot) beat Craig DeFoy (Wales) 3 and 2 in the 18-hole final. [Kings Norton GC, Alvechurch, nr Birmingham].

1975
Europe
281 (-7)
£2,585
x

Category

Europe

Winner (holder)

Barnes, Brian

Score

281 (-7)

Prize money

£2,585

Title sponsor

x

Played as the French Open. Second-placed Neil Coles (Eng), Eamonn Darcy (Ire), John O'Leary (Ire) and Dale Hayes (RSA) finished 2 shots behind Barnes (Scot). [Vallée course, Racing Club de France (RCF), La Boulie GC, Versailles, nr Paris].

1974
Europe
211 (-5)
£2,900
x

Category

Europe

Winner (holder)

Barnes, Brian

Score

211 (-5)

Prize money

£2,900

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Dutch Open (Aug 8-11). Second-placed Peter Oosterhuis (Eng), Simon Owen (NZ) and Eddie Polland (N.Ire) finished 5 shots behind Barnes (Scot), the only player to finish under par. Event reduced to 54 holes due to bad weather. [Hilversumsche GC, Hilversum, nr Amsterdam].

1972
Europe
277 (-7)
£1,500
Martini

Category

Europe

Winner (holder)

Barnes, Brian

Venue

Abridge

Score

277 (-7)

Prize money

£1,500

Title sponsor

Martini

Played as the Martini International (June 8-10). Second-placed Jack Newton (Aus) finished 1 shot behind Barnes (Scot). [Abridge GC, Stapleford Tawney, Essex].

1969
Europe
277 (-7)
£750
Agfacolor

Category

Europe

Winner (holder)

Barnes, Brian

Score

277 (-7)

Prize money

£750

Title sponsor

Agfacolor

Played as the Agfacolor Film Tournament (May 22-24). Second-placed Bernard Gallacher (Scot) finished 3 shots behind 23-year-old Brian Barnes (Scot), who recorded his first win on the British professional tour. [Stoke Park CC, Stoke Poges, Bucks].

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