Russ Cochran

Height: 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)

Weight: 190 lb (86 kg; 14 st)

Birthday: October 31, 1958

College: University of Kentucky

Year turned pro: 1979

Birthplace: Paducah, Kentucky, USA

Country: USA

Sponsor: –

Cochran is a naturally left handed golfer who was born on Paducah, Kentucky in 1958. As a young boy, Cochran played on Paxton Park Public Golf Course in Paducah. He attended school at St. Mary High School in Paducah, before studying at the University of Kentucky, where he continued to play golf. After leaving college, Cochran turned professional in 1979. He went on to start playing on the PGA Tour in 1982.  During his PGA Tour career, Cochran finished in the top 10 of tournaments on approximately 60 occasions. The best year of his PGA Tour career came in 1991, when he won at the Centel Western Open and achieved a further two second place finishes, and a third place finish. He finished the season in 10th place on the money list. The following year, Cochran achieved his best result at a major, when he finished in joint seventh place, at the PGA Championship. When he reached his forties, Cochran spent some time playing on the Nationwide Tour, in preparation for playing on the Champions Tour.

He first played on the Champions Tour in 2009, and finished in third place at the US Senior Open. At the end of that season Cochran was given the title Rookie of the Year. His first victory on the tour came at the Posco E&C Songdo Championship in South Korea, in 2010.
The following year, Cochran won his first senior major, at the Senior British Open Championship. It was two years before Cochran won his fourth event on the Champions Tour, at the Principal Charity Classic. He won again, at the SAS Championship, later that year.

Away from the course, Cochran is a family man. He is married to Jackie and the couple has four children, three sons and a daughter. Golf is following in the family, as Cochran’s son Ryan plays collegiate golf and his son Case qualified for the Byron Nelson Championship, in 2014.

As of the end of 2014, Cochran had achieved one win on the PGA Tour, amassing total prize money of $5,579,837.