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, who holds an OBE award, is a famous Scottish professional golfer. He was born on February 9, 1949. He became well-known for his skills on the golf course and for leading the European Ryder Cup team.
Contents
Early Life and Amateur Golf
Bernard Gallacher was born in Bathgate, West Lothian, Scotland. He started playing golf when he was eleven years old. He quickly showed great talent.
In 1965, he won the Lothians Golf Association Boys Championship. Two years later, in 1967, he won the Scottish Amateur Open Stroke Play Championship. After this big win, he decided to become a professional golfer in the same year.
Professional Golf Career
Bernard Gallacher quickly made a name for himself in professional golf. In 1968, he won the Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year award. This award goes to the best new professional golfer.
His first professional wins came in 1969. He won two tournaments in Zambia and two in Europe. These European wins were like the ones on the European Tour, which officially started a few years later. In 1969, he was the top player on the Order of Merit. This earned him the Harry Vardon Trophy.
Bernard won ten tournaments on the European Tour between 1974 and 1984. He was one of the top ten players on the European Tour's money list five times. His best finish was third place in 1974.
Ryder Cup Hero
One of Bernard Gallacher's most famous achievements is his involvement with the Ryder Cup. This is a major golf competition between teams from Europe and the United States.
In 1969, at just 20 years old, he became the youngest player to represent Great Britain in the Ryder Cup. This record was later broken by other golfers like Nick Faldo. Bernard played in the Ryder Cup eight times as a player.
After his playing career, he became the non-playing captain for the European team. He led the team in 1991, 1993, and 1995. All three matches were very close. Europe lost the first two, but they won the third one in 1995. This was a huge victory for the team.
Later Career and Other Roles
After turning 50, Bernard Gallacher continued to play golf on 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.
Personal Life
Bernard Gallacher has three children. His daughter, Kirsty Gallacher, was a well-known TV presenter for Sky Sports News for many years. Another daughter, Laura Gallacher, is married to the comedian Russell Brand.
In August 2014, Bernard Gallacher was one of 200 public figures who signed a letter. This letter was sent to a newspaper called The Guardian. It shared their views against Scottish independence before a public vote in September 2014.
Amateur Wins
- 1967 Scottish Amateur Open Stroke Play Championship, Tennant Cup
Professional Wins
Bernard Gallacher won a total of 23 professional tournaments during his career. This includes 10 wins on the European Tour and 1 win on the European Seniors Tour. He also won 12 other professional events.
European Tour Playoff Record
Bernard Gallacher was involved in four playoffs on the European Tour. He won two of these playoffs and lost two.
Major Championship Results
Bernard Gallacher played in two of golf's major championships: The Masters Tournament and The Open Championship. He never played in the U.S. Open or the PGA Championship.
- The Masters Tournament: He played in The Masters once, in 1970, but missed the cut.
- The Open Championship: He played in The Open Championship many times. His best finish was tied for 18th place in 1973.
Team Appearances
Bernard Gallacher was a key player 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.
See also
- List of golfers with most European Tour wins
