Ronan Rafferty facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ronan Rafferty |
|
|---|---|
| Personal information | |
| Full name | Ronan Patrick Rafferty |
| Born | 13 January 1964 Newry, County Down, Northern Ireland |
| Height | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) |
| Weight | 189 lb (86 kg; 13.5 st) |
| Nationality |  Northern Ireland |
| Residence | Gleneagles, Scotland |
| Spouse | Yvonne Rafferty |
| Children | 2 |
| Career | |
| Turned professional | 1981 |
| Former tour(s) | European Tour Southern Africa Tour PGA Tour of Australasia European Senior Tour |
| Professional wins | 14 |
| Number of wins by tour | |
| European Tour | 7 |
| PGA Tour of Australasia | 5 |
| Other | 2 |
| Best results in Major Championships |
|
| The Masters Tournament | T14: 1990 |
| U.S. Open | 63rd: 1990 |
| The Open Championship | T9: 1984 |
| PGA Championship | CUT: 1990 |
| Achievements and awards | |
| European Tour Order of Merit winner |
1989 |
Ronan Patrick Rafferty (born 13 January 1964) is a professional golfer from Northern Ireland. He used to play on the European Tour. In 1989, he won the European Tour's top award, the Order of Merit. This meant he was the best player on the tour that year.
Contents
Early Life and Amateur Success
Ronan Rafferty was born in Newry, Northern Ireland. He started playing golf at a young age. When he was just 15, he won the Boys Amateur Championship. This is a big competition for young golfers.
At 16, he was good enough to play in the Open Championship. This is one of the biggest golf tournaments in the world. By age 17, he played in the 1981 Walker Cup, a team event for amateur golfers. He also tied for first place in the 1980 English Open Amateur Stroke Play Championship.
Professional Golf Career
Ronan Rafferty became a professional golfer in 1981. For several years, he was one of the top golfers in Europe. Between 1987 and 1993, he won 12 official tournaments. Five of these wins were in Australia, and seven were in Europe.
Early Years on Tour
Rafferty joined the European Tour in 1982. He had a good first year, finishing 48th on the Order of Merit. From 1983 onwards, he played very well. For eight years in a row, he finished in the top 30 of the Order of Merit. He also had at least six top-10 finishes each year.
It took him a while to win his first European Tour event. He had 62 top-10 finishes before his first victory. In 1986, he lost in a playoff at the Lancia Italian Open.
Wins in Australia
Rafferty had more success winning tournaments in Australia earlier on. He won two events on the Australasian Tour in 1987. One of these was the New Zealand Open. He beat American golfer Larry Nelson in a playoff. He was the first European to win this tournament in many years. In 1988, he also won the Australian Match Play Championship.
Best Season: 1989
In 1989, Rafferty finally won his first European Tour event. He won the Lancia Italian Open, beating Sam Torrance. This was his best year ever. He won two more events, including the important Volvo Masters. He beat famous golfer Nick Faldo by one shot.
At the end of 1989, Ronan Rafferty won the European Tour Order of Merit. This meant he was the top player on the tour. He also played in his only Ryder Cup that year. The Ryder Cup is a team competition between Europe and the USA. Even though his team matches didn't go well, he won his singles match. This win helped Europe keep the cup with a tie.
Continued Success and Challenges
1990 was another strong year for Rafferty. He won three more tournaments: the Coca-Cola Classic, PLM Open, and Ebel European Masters Swiss Open. He also had 12 top-10 finishes. His great play earned him an invitation to the Masters in the USA. He reached his highest world ranking of 16th that year. He was also the first Irish pro to play in the U.S. Open since the 1940s.
The early 1990s saw some ups and downs. In 1991, he didn't win any official events. He also had some struggles in major championships. He even withdrew from the U.S. Open during the tournament.
Final Wins and Retirement
In early 1992, Rafferty had a fantastic run. He finished first or second in five tournaments in a row. He won the Daikyo Palm Meadows Cup in Australia. He also won the Portuguese Open after losing a playoff to Seve Ballesteros in Dubai. His world ranking went back up to 16th.
His last win on the European Tour was in 1993 at the Hohe Brücke Austrian Open. After 1994, his career as a full-time touring professional began to slow down. In 1997, he broke bones in his left hand, which affected his play. He retired from playing full-time after the 2003 season.
Personal Life
Ronan Rafferty is married to Yvonne and has two children. In 1987, he lived with the family of Australian golfer Ian Baker-Finch. During this time, he developed a love for Australian wine. He is now a well-known wine collector.
Today, Rafferty plays fewer tournaments. He works as a commentator and analyst for golf broadcasts. He also helps design golf courses.
Legacy in Golf
Ronan Rafferty helped pave the way for other golfers from Northern Ireland. He and David Feherty were the first Northern Irish golfers to win often on the European Tour. After they retired, golfers like Graeme McDowell, Rory McIlroy, and Darren Clarke became very successful. They went on to win major championships.
Rafferty was one of Europe's best golfers in the late 1980s and early 1990s. He won 12 official tournaments around the world. For comparison, Nick Faldo, who was considered the best European golfer then, won 17 events in the same period.
Team Appearances
Ronan Rafferty represented Ireland and Great Britain & Ireland in many team golf events:
- Amateur Teams:
* European Youths' Team Championship: 1979 (winners), 1980 * Jacques Léglise Trophy: 1979 (winners) * European Boys' Team Championship: 1980 * Eisenhower Trophy: 1980 * St Andrews Trophy: 1980 (winners) * Walker Cup: 1981 * European Amateur Team Championship: 1981
- Professional Teams:
* World Cup: 1983, 1984, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993 * Hennessy Cognac Cup: 1984 * Dunhill Cup: 1986, 1987, 1988 (winners), 1989, 1990 (winners), 1991, 1992, 1993, 1995 * Four Tours World Championship: 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991 (winners) * Ryder Cup: 1989 (tie, cup retained)
See also
- List of people on the postage stamps of Ireland
