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

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.

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.

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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