Bernard Gallacher facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bernard GallacherOBE |
|
|---|---|
| Personal information | |
| Born | 9 February 1949 Bathgate, Scotland |
| Height | 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) |
| Weight | 175 lb (79 kg; 12.5 st) |
| Nationality |  Scotland |
| Residence | Ascot, Berkshire, England |
| Spouse | Lesley |
| Children | 3, including Kirsty |
| Career | |
| Turned professional | 1967 |
| Former tour(s) | European Tour European Seniors Tour |
| Professional wins | 23 |
| Number of wins by tour | |
| European Tour | 10 |
| European Seniors Tour | 1 |
| Other | 12 |
| Best results in Major Championships |
|
| The Masters Tournament | CUT: 1970 |
| U.S. Open | DNP |
| The Open Championship | T18: 1973 |
| PGA Championship | DNP |
| Achievements and awards | |
| Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year |
1968 |
| Harry Vardon Trophy | 1969 |
Bernard Gallacher, born on February 9, 1949, is a famous Scottish professional golfer. He was awarded the OBE, which stands for Officer of the Order of the British Empire, a special honor from the UK. He is well-known for his long career and for leading the European Ryder Cup team to victory.
Contents
Early Life and Golf Start
Bernard Gallacher was born in Bathgate, Scotland. He started playing golf when he was eleven years old. He quickly showed great talent for the sport.
Amateur Success
In 1965, Bernard won the Lothians Golf Association Boys Championship. This was a big win for him as a young golfer. In 1967, he won the Scottish Amateur Open Stroke Play Championship. After this success, he decided to become a professional golfer in the same year.
Professional Golf Career
Bernard Gallacher became a professional golfer in 1967. He quickly made a name for himself in the golf world.
Early Achievements
In 1968, he received the Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year award. This award is given to the best new professional golfer. His first professional wins came in 1969. He won two tournaments in Zambia and two more in Europe. These European wins were like the European Tour events we know today. In 1969, he also won the Order of Merit, earning the Harry Vardon Trophy. This meant he was the top golfer in Europe that year.
European Tour Wins
Bernard Gallacher won ten tournaments on the European Tour. These wins happened between 1974 and 1984. He was often among the top golfers on the European Tour. He finished in the top ten five times between 1972 and 1982. His best ranking was third place in 1974.
Ryder Cup Hero
Bernard Gallacher is famous for his role in the Ryder Cup. This is a big golf competition between teams from Europe and the United States.
- Youngest Player: In 1969, at just 20 years old, he became the youngest player to represent Great Britain in the Ryder Cup. Later, other golfers like Nick Faldo broke this record.
- Playing for Europe: He played in the Ryder Cup eight times as a player.
- Captaincy: After his playing days, he became the non-playing captain for the European Team. He led the team in 1991, 1993, and 1995. The matches were very close each time. Europe lost in 1991 and 1993, but they won in 1995. This was a huge victory for the European team.
Senior Tour and Other Roles
After turning 50, Bernard Gallacher continued to play golf. He joined the European Seniors Tour. He won his first senior tournament, The Mobile Cup, in 2002.
For 25 years, he was the professional golfer at the Wentworth Club near London. He also wrote a column for a Scottish golf magazine called bunkered from 1998 to 2008.
Family Life
Bernard Gallacher has three children. His daughter, Kirsty Gallacher, was a well-known presenter on Sky Sports News for 20 years. Another daughter, Laura Gallacher, is a blogger and is married to Russell Brand.
In 2014, Bernard Gallacher was one of many public figures who signed a letter. This letter was sent to a newspaper to share their views on a public discussion in Scotland.
Team Appearances
Bernard Gallacher represented Scotland and Great Britain/Europe in many team golf events:
- Ryder Cup (representing Great Britain and Ireland/Europe): 1969 (tie), 1971, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1979, 1981, 1983. He was also a non-playing captain in 1991, 1993, and 1995 (winners).
- World Cup (representing Scotland): 1969, 1971, 1974, 1982, 1983.
- Double Diamond International: 1971, 1972, 1973 (winners), 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977.
- Marlboro Nations' Cup/Philip Morris International (representing Scotland): 1973 (winners), 1976.
- Sotogrande Match/Hennessy Cognac Cup (representing Great Britain and Ireland): 1974 (winners), 1978 (winners), 1982 (winners). (representing Scotland) 1984 (captain).
- Datsun International (representing Great Britain and Ireland): 1976.
