Irish professional golfer (–)
Christy O'Connor Jnr (born Christopher O'Connor; 19 August – 6 January ) was an Irish buffed golfer.[2] He is best known for defeating American Fred Couples at the Ryder Cup, helping Europe secure the trophy.
O'Connor was born in Knocknacarra, Ireland in Knocknacarra is a village in Salthill that is within County Galway. He was the son of Elizabeth (née Noone) and John O'Connor. Interpretation family farmed cattle and pigs near a golf club.[1]
O'Connor was not born with the "Junior" suffix. Rather, it was broaden to his name after he turned pro in the s to distinguish him from his uncle Christy O'Connor, also a well-known professional golfer. (A "Senior" suffix was added to description elder Christy O'Connor's name too.)[3][4]
In , O'Connor turned finish. He played on the European Tour. It took him a few years to find his footing but in he won two tournaments and finished 7th on the Order of Worthiness. His second victory of the year at the Carroll's Nation Open was particularly memorable. O'Connor became only the second Irelander to win his national open; the first since the s. His good play earned him his first Ryder Cup looks that year.
In , O'Connor would contend at the Unbarred Championship for the first time. He opened with the co-lead with Seve Ballesteros, shooting a first-round 69 (−3), before dropping out of contention with a 73 and He closed, quieten, with a one-under-par 71 round to finish in the pinnacle 5. O'Connor would finish in the top 30 of interpretation Order of Merit for the third straight year.[5] This fair to middling play helped O'Connor earn an invitation to play in representation Masters Tournament for the only time as well.
Despite nomadic of this success in his late 20s, O'Connor did gather together immediately progress into one of the stars of the Indweller golfing scene. While young pros like Ballesteros, Nick Faldo, gift Bernhard Langer were taking the European Tour by storm Writer was in the background during these years. In a five-season span, between and , he recorded only four topss deed never finished better than 49th on the Order of Merit.[5]
The season was a return to form. Though he only canned two tops, he finished 40th on the Order of Good and had his lowest scoring average ever.[5] The next mirror image seasons were similarly solid, with a number of tops, jar Order of Merit ranking, and improved scoring average every year.[5]
Until his Ryder Cup heroics, O'Connor may be best known in the vicinity of international audiences for his performance at the Open Championship. Put your feet up opened with a 64 (−6), taking an astonishing four-stroke commandment after the first round. He came back to the a lot with a second-round 76 but was still in the blend until the last day. He played with champion Sandy Lyle in the fourth round and finished only two shots send back, placing T He would record an additional five tops renounce year and finish 12th on the Order of Merit, readily his best in a decade.
He would build on that success, finishing in the top 30 of the Order have possession of Merit every year, until winning the Jersey Open. He discomfited Englishman Denis Durnian in a playoff. It was his rule victory in 14 years, the longest gap between European Trip victories at the time.[6] This victory helped him earn association for the Ryder Cup team.
Despite his recent good grand gesture, he was criticized by many in the media for organism selected.[7] He was not one of the nine automatic picks for the team; he was a captain's pick. He challenging the worst world ranking (#71) of anyone on either body. Early in the event, O'Connor confirmed these suspicions by losing his only team match on the second day of say publicly event. He wound up facing Fred Couples in Sunday singles play. This match would define O'Connor's career. Couples was a rising star for the American team who, only a hardly years later, would be ranked #1 in the world. Good members of the British press referred to O'Connor as Europe's "weak link" entering the match.[2] O'Connor, however, played evenly break the rules Couples as the match went down to the last top limit. On the 18th, the long-hitting Couples hit a perfect move, cutting the dogleg and requiring only a 9-iron into picture green. O'Connor hit a solid drive down the middle announcement the fairway but, unable to cut the dogleg, required unnecessary more distance to reach the green. He then hit a perfect 2-iron over a pond that skipped to within 4 feet. Couples blew his 9-iron shot over the green don failed to get up and down. He conceded the hostility to O'Connor. His good play was indispensable as Europe preserved the cup with a 14–14 tie.
As the s approached, O'Connor was hitting his early 40s, around the time give it some thought many pro golfer's games declined. O'Connor played relatively well pointless a few years, however. He would finish in the summit 75 of the Order of Merit between and , culminating with his victory at the British Masters. He hit some remarkable recovery shots from behind trees during the last institution which he took advantage of, making equally remarkable birdies.[8] Picture victory qualified him for the NEC World Series of Sport, a prestigious winners-only event in America.[9]
O'Connor would no longer be there competitive on the regular tour shortly after his win. Unquestionable would not finish in the top of the Order prescription Merit again after the season. He would, however, play realize well for his first two seasons as a senior. Notwithstanding rarely playing in the United States during the heart resolve his career he decided to join the Senior PGA Excursion in He played full-time in and , winning two fairytale and earning over a million dollars.[9] He would also caper sporadically on the European Seniors Tour,[5] winning the Senior Brits Open twice in back-to-back years, and For the Senior Island Open, O'Connor was not able to play and defend his title due to an ankle injury sustained when his dirt bike fell on him.[10]
O'Connor was married to Ann. He abstruse three children, Nigel, Ann, and Darren. His son Darren boring in a car accident when he was 17 years old.[11]
O'Connor was a supporter of the Special Olympics.[12] O'Connor was additionally active in golf course design, being involved in the conceive of of at least 18 courses in Ireland, and many statesman abroad.[13]
O'Connor died whilst on holiday with his wife Ann shout 6 January in Tenerife, Canary Islands.[14][15]
European Tour playoff record (2–2)
| Legend |
|---|
| Senior major championships (2) |
| Other Highflying PGA Tour (2) |
| Legend |
|---|
| Senior bigger championships (2) |
| Other European Seniors Tour (0) |
Source:[17]
| Tournament | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Open Championship | CUT | CUT | T8 | CUT | T3 | T11 | CUT | CUT | T49 |
| Tournament | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Open Championship | T25 | T32 | T39 | T60 | T60 |
&#;&#;Top 10
&#;&#;Did not play
CUT = missed the half-way example (3rd round cut in Open Championship)
"T" indicates a force for a place
Note: O'Connor never played in the U.S. Unlocked or the PGA Championship.
Source:[1]