Russ Cochran

Began playing golf when he was 10 by going to a neighboring golf course with his older brother. Naturally left-handed, he started using women's clubs because they were the only left-handed clubs he could find.
After playing for the University of Kentucky golf team, his goal was to play on the PGA Tour. Went to Qualifying School, but didn't make it until his third try in 1982. With the advent of the Tournament Players Series in 1983, he had another avenue to gain professional experience. In 18 starts on the TPS, he won two tournaments (Magnolia Classic and Greater Baltimore Open) and led the series in money won with $100,863. In 1984, he won $133,342, which placed him 51st on the money list. He was in the top 125 every year from 1984-2000, except in 1995 and 1999.
Played full-time on the PGA Tour from 1983-2004, making 598 career starts, 356 cuts and recording 58 top-10 finishes. Best finish was a win at the 1991 Western Open.
Has found success on the Champions Tour, finishing third at the 2009 U.S. Senior Open at Crooked Stick and T-third at the 2010 Senior Open. Recorded wins at the Posco E&C Songdo Championship and the SAS Championship in 2010.
2011 Notes: Made 18 appearances and was sidelined from late April until early July with a right wrist injury, returning to action at the Nature Valley First Tee Open at Pebble Beach. Still managed to finish among the top-five money-winners for a second consecutive year, thanks to top-5 finishes in five of his first seven tournaments and eventually the biggest victory of his career in late July at the 2011 Senior Open in England.
2012 Notes: Despite back problems, which caused him to miss nearly three months of the season, he posted six top-10 finishes, earning a spot in the top 30 for the fourth consecutive year. His best finish was in June when he was the opening-round leader at the Montreal Championship before eventually finishing T-third. Withdrew after two rounds at the U.S. Senior Open with a back problem, which subsequently kept him out of the Senior Open, denying him the opportunity to defend his title. Did not return to the Champions Tour until the SAS Championship in early October.
2013 Notes: Won multiple titles in a season for the first time since 2010, finishing fifth on the final money list - the third time in the last four years he's placed among the top five in single-season Champions Tour earnings. Ended an almost-two-year victory drought at The Principal Charity Classic in Iowa. Edged Jay Don Blake by one stroke when Blake three-putted the 17th green to fall out of a tie for the lead at the Wakonda Club in Des Moines, Iowa. The victory ended a run of 35 tournaments since his last triumph in England at the 2011 Senior Open Championship. Added a second win in mid-October when he edged David Frost by one stroke at the SAS Championship, the same event he won three years earlier.
2014 Notes: Was one of only two players (David Frost) to play in every tournament. In the 26 events he played, his best finish was third at the Constellation Senior Players when he missed a playoff spot with Bernhard Langer and Jeff Sluman by a shot. Finished 17th on the money list, it was the sixth time he has been in the top 30. Also finished 18th in the Schwab Rankings.
2015 Notes: Finished T-fifth with partner Roger Chapman at the Bass Pro Shops Legends of Golf in April. Closed with a 4-under par 68 for a T-sixth finish at the Tucson Conquistadors Classic in March. Also finished T-ninth at the Insperity Invitational, thanks to a 69 on Sunday at Woodlands C.C. Finished third at the Constellation Senior Players for the second consecutive year, thanks to four rounds of par or better at Belmont C.C. Finished 30th on the money list and 29th in the Schwab rank.
2016 Notes: Cochran has endured injuries for years to his back, but an elbow issue sidelined him, and he didn't make his first start until the Senior Open Championship where he finished T-66th. Played in just 9 events, best finish T-14th at the Shaw Charity Classic. Was 88th on both the money list and Schwab ranking.
2017 Notes: Played in 22 events and posted just one top-25 finish, the fewest in his career. Was T-23rd at the Boeing Classic where he posted three straight sub-par rounds. Finished 70th on the money list and 68th in the Schwab Rankings. Returned to PGA Tour Champions Q-School finishing T-9th.
2018 Notes: Played in 18 PGA Tour Champions events with three top-ten finishes. In his first start of the year with a final-round 65, Cochran finished 5th at the Boca Raton Championship. It was his first top-10 since he finished T-3rd at the 2015 Constellation Senior Players. Also, T-10th at the Insperity Invitational and T-9th at the Principal Charity Classic. Finished 61st on the Charles Schwab Cup money list.
2019 Notes: Played in 17 PGA Tour Champions events. Was 92nd on the final Schwab rankings. Best finish T-32nd in the Hoag Classic.
2020 & 2021 Notes: Best finish T-36th at the 2020 Hoag Classic and Pure Insurance Championship.