Russ Cochran Bio
Russell Earl Cochran (born October 31, 1958) is an American professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour Champions, having previously been a member of the PGA Tour and the Nationwide Tour. A natural left-hander, he became one of the very few left-handed players ever to win a PGA Tour event, and for much of the 1980s through 1992 he was the only left-hander playing on the PGA Tour. He is widely recognized for his steady ball-striking, his calm temperament under pressure, and a career that has spanned more than four decades across multiple tours.
Cochran turned professional in 1979 and built a long résumé that includes a PGA Tour victory, several Champions Tour titles, and a senior major championship. His career year came in 1991, when he won the Centel Western Open and finished inside the top ten on the money list. He has remained a respected figure in American golf, particularly in his home state of Kentucky, where he is regarded as a pioneer among left-handed competitors.
Early Life and Background
Russell Earl Cochran was born on October 31, 1958, in Paducah, Kentucky, where he was raised and has spent most of his life. He grew up playing golf at Paxton Park Public Golf Course in Paducah, the same municipal course that helped launch fellow PGA Tour player Kenny Perry, who came along a couple of years later. The wide-open fairways and casual atmosphere of the course gave Cochran an early love for the game and plenty of opportunity to develop his game as a left-hander.
After graduating from St. Mary High School in Paducah, Cochran attended the University of Kentucky, where he played on the college golf team. His time at Kentucky helped him sharpen his competitive game and prepared him for the demands of professional golf. Even at the amateur level, his left-handed swing drew attention because natural left-handers were rare in the professional ranks.
Path to Professional Golf
Cochran turned professional in 1979 and began working his way through the mini-tours and developmental events that fed into the larger professional circuits. He joined the PGA Tour in 1982, making the jump from the college and amateur circuits to the highest level of American golf while still one of the very few left-handers on the course. The transition required patience, as he adjusted to the longer courses, tougher fields, and the mental grind of weekly tournament golf.
Throughout the 1980s, Cochran built his game with steady play and a reputation for rarely missing cuts, even when he was not contending. By the time the 1990s arrived, his experience and confidence had grown into something more dangerous. He later spent time on the Nationwide Tour in his mid-to-late forties as preparation for the Champions Tour, using those events to keep his game sharp and to qualify for the senior circuit.
Russ Cochran Career
Early Career (1979–1990)
Cochran began his professional career in 1979 and worked his way onto the PGA Tour in 1982. For the next several seasons he established himself as a reliable grinder, posting consistent finishes and earning the respect of his peers. As one of the only left-handed players on tour, he often flew under the radar, but his accuracy and course management kept him competitive on a week-to-week basis.
By the end of the 1980s, Cochran had quietly accumulated about 60 top-10 finishes in official PGA Tour events, a number that reflected his durability and the steady quality of his ball-striking. He also picked up early wins on the developmental Tournament Players Series, giving him added confidence heading into the new decade.
PGA Tour Breakthrough (1991–1996)
Cochran’s career year came in 1991, when he captured his lone PGA Tour victory at the Centel Western Open. In one of the most remarkable final-round charges in tournament history, he made up seven shots over eight holes to beat Greg Norman. He added two second-place finishes that season, including a playoff loss to Craig Stadler at the Tour Championship, a third-place finish, and a tenth-place finish on the money list, establishing himself as a genuine contender.
His best finish in a major championship came at the 1992 PGA Championship, where he tied for seventh. In 1996, Cochran set the Valhalla Golf Club course record with a third-round 65 at the PGA Championship, a mark that stood for four years before being broken by José María Olazábal. He continued to play the PGA Tour through the mid-1990s before eventually stepping back to the Nationwide Tour in his mid-to-late forties.
Champions Tour Era (2009–Present)
Cochran debuted on the Champions Tour with a tie for seventh at the Allianz Championship on February 15, 2009, at Boca Raton, Florida. He finished third at the U.S. Senior Open on August 2, 2009, at Carmel, Indiana, setting the Crooked Stick Golf Club course record with a third-round 8-under-par 64. He ended his first Champions Tour season by winning the Rookie of the Year award, a clear sign that his game was ready for senior competition.
In 2010, he earned his first Champions Tour victory by defeating Fred Funk on the first hole of a sudden-death playoff at the Posco E&C Songdo Championship in South Korea, then followed it with another win the following week at the SAS Championship in North Carolina. In 2011, Cochran won his maiden senior major at the Senior British Open Championship at Walton Heath, closing with a 67 to beat Mark Calcavecchia by two strokes with his son Reed on the bag. He added a fourth Champions Tour title at the 2013 Principal Charity Classic, closing with a 67 to edge Jay Don Blake by one stroke and end a two-year drought, then won the SAS Championship later that October with four straight birdies to beat David Frost by a single shot.
Driving Style and Strengths
Cochran built his career on accuracy, course management, and a smooth left-handed swing that produced consistent ball-striking. He was rarely the longest player off the tee, but he kept the ball in play, gave himself solid looks at par, and putted well enough to remain competitive on a variety of course types. His ability to grind out rounds and stay steady in pressure situations became a hallmark of his game, especially in his Champions Tour years.
Notable Events and Milestones
Cochran’s signature moment remains the 1991 Centel Western Open, where he rallied from seven shots back over the closing stretch to beat Greg Norman. His 2011 Senior British Open victory at Walton Heath stands as his senior major highlight, and his course-record 65 at Valhalla in the 1996 PGA Championship is another lasting mark on his record. Winning the Champions Tour Rookie of the Year award in 2009 confirmed a successful transition to senior golf.
Russ Cochran Career Wins
Across his career, Russ Cochran has compiled victories on the PGA Tour, the Champions Tour, and developmental circuits, along with a senior major championship. His wins have come on a wide range of courses, from inland layouts in the American Midwest to links golf in England and events in Asia, underscoring his versatility as a competitor.
Champions Tour Highlights
Cochran has won five events on the Champions Tour, including the 2011 Senior British Open Championship, his most significant title. His first Champions Tour victory came at the 2010 Posco E&C Songdo Championship in South Korea, where he beat Fred Funk in a sudden-death playoff, and he added the SAS Championship the following week. In 2013, he captured the Principal Charity Classic and then won the SAS Championship again later that fall, finishing with four consecutive birdies to beat David Frost by one shot.
Other Wins and Performances
Outside the Champions Tour, Cochran recorded two wins on the Tournament Players Series during the developmental stage of his career. He also posted a tie for third at the 2003 Chitimacha Louisiana Open on the Nationwide Tour, his best finish on that circuit, while using the schedule to keep his game sharp ahead of his Champions Tour debut.
Russ Cochran Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Cochran was born and raised in Paducah, Kentucky, in a family that encouraged his early interest in golf. He grew up playing the same Paxton Park Public Golf Course that helped launch fellow Kentucky native Kenny Perry, and the two remain connected through their shared roots in western Kentucky golf.
Personal Life
Cochran and his wife, Jackie, have four children: three sons and a daughter. His oldest son, Ryan, played golf at the University of Florida and has pursued a professional career, while his son Case and nephew Rick III have also played professional golf. Another son, Reed, was on the bag for Cochran when he won the 2011 Senior British Open Championship.
2025 Season Performance
Russ Cochran continues to compete on the PGA Tour Champions in 2025, drawing on the same steady approach that has defined his career for decades. As a veteran presence in the field, he is expected to balance a reduced schedule with selective appearances at majors and familiar venues where his accuracy plays well. His goals for the year center on staying healthy, contending when possible, and adding to his Champions Tour victory total.
Cochran’s 2025 campaign is shaped by his experience on links-style and traditional American parkland courses, the types of layouts where his ball-striking has historically given him an edge. With the Champions Tour schedule offering several invitational and major-style events, he is positioned to be a factor in limited-field competitions while mentoring younger left-handed players coming through the ranks.