Six-Time Ryder Cup Player Brian Barnes Dies Aged 74

The Scot, born in England, played in six Ryder Cups and won nine times on the European Tour

Brian Barnes Dies

The Scot, born in England, played in six Ryder Cups and won nine times on the European Tour

Six-Time Ryder Cup Player Brian Barnes Dies Aged 74

Scottish professional golfer Brian Barnes had died at the age of 74.

The Scot was born in England to Scottish parents and grew up playing his golf in Surrey and then later Kent.

Barnes joined the Scottish PGA in 1971 and represented Scotland from then on.

He was one of the leading players on the European Tour in the 70s, winning nine times between 1972 and 1981.

Barnes' European Tour wins included the 1974 Dutch Open, 1975 French Open and 1978 Spanish Open.

He played in six Ryder Cups, five representing Great Britain and Ireland before appearing in the 1979 match which was the first time continental Europe joined.

Brian Barnes during the 1982 Bob Hope British Classic at Moor Park Golf Club. (Photo by Peter Dazeley/Getty Images)

He is most-known for beating Jack Nicklaus twice in one day at the 1975 Ryder Cup in Pennsylvania.

He made 21 Open Championship appearances with his best finish coming at Muirfield in 1972 where he was 5th.

In total, he won 20 times as a professional with two of those victories coming at the British Senior Open in 1995 and 1996.

He became the first man in the tournament's history to successfully defend the title.

Barnes was a successful senior golfer, winning the Order of Merit on the European Tour Senior Tour in 1995.

Barnes pictured at the 1976 Open Championship at Royal Birkdale

He was the son-in-law of 1951 Open champion Max Faulker and won both of his Senior Claret Jugs at Royal Portrush, where Faulkner triumphed at the Open.

Barnes retired from the game in 2000 due to arthritis.

He was a fan favourite and known for his outlandish dress sense, smoking a pipe and even drinking cans of lager during play.

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Elliott Heath
News Editor

Elliott Heath is our News Editor and has been with Golf Monthly since early 2016 after graduating with a degree in Sports Journalism. He manages the Golf Monthly news team as well as our large Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages. He covered the 2022 Masters from Augusta National as well as five Open Championships on-site including the 150th at St Andrews. His first Open was in 2017 at Royal Birkdale, when he walked inside the ropes with Jordan Spieth during the Texan's memorable Claret Jug triumph. He has played 35 of our Top 100 golf courses, with his favourites being both Sunningdales, Woodhall Spa, Western Gailes, Old Head and Turnberry. He has been obsessed with the sport since the age of 8 and currently plays off of a six handicap. His golfing highlights are making albatross on the 9th hole on the Hotchkin Course at Woodhall Spa, shooting an under-par round, playing in the Aramco Team Series on the Ladies European Tour and making his one and only hole-in-one at the age of 15 - a long time ago now!


Elliott is currently playing:


Driver: Titleist TSR4

3 wood: Titleist TSi2

Hybrids: Titleist 816 H1

Irons: Mizuno MP5 5-PW

Wedges: Cleveland RTX ZipCore 50, 54, 58

Putter: Odyssey White Hot OG #5

Ball: Srixon Z Star XV