Quick Facts
LeoBiography
Christy O'Connor Jnr (born Christopher O'Connor; 19 August 1948 – 6 January 2016) was an Irish professional golfer. He was known as "Junior" as a nephew of golfer Christy O'Connor Snr.
Career
O'Connor was born in Knocknacarra, County Galway, near Salthill, in 1948, the son of Elizabeth (née Noone) and John O'Connor. The family farmed cattle and pigs near a golf club.
He turned professional in 1967. The European Tour officially began in 1972, and O'Connor made the top hundred on the Order of Merit in each of its first twenty-one seasons, with a best ranking of seventh in 1975. He won four European Tour events. As a senior he has competed on both the European Seniors Tour and the U.S. based Champions Tour, and has won two Senior British Open titles (before it became one of the senior majors) and two Champions Tour events.
In 1992 O'Connor won the Dunhill British Masters at Woburn, his fourth and final European Tour victory, with scores of 71, 67, 66, 66. A weather-interrupted tournament meant that 36 holes had to be played on Sunday. At 44 years, O'Connor was the oldest player in the field.
O'Connor played in the Ryder Cup twice. In 1975 he was a member of a losing Great Britain & Ireland team and in 1989 he was part of a European team which tied the match to retain the trophy. His personal record was one win, three losses and no ties. His win over Fred Couples was best remembered for a stunning 2 iron shot on the last hole at The Belfry which he left just 4 feet from the hole.
O'Connor was also active in golf course design, being involved in the design of at least 18 courses in Ireland, and many more abroad.
Death
O'Connor died whilst on holiday with his wife Ann on 6 January 2016 in Tenerife, Canary Islands.
Professional wins
European Tour wins (4)
| No. | Date | Tournament | Winning score | Margin of victory | Runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 14 Jun 1975 | Martini International | −5 (71-68-70-70=279) | Tie |  Ian Stanley |
| 2 | 31 Aug 1975 | Carroll's Irish Open | −21 (66-70-69-70=275) | 1 stroke |  Harry Bannerman |
| 3 | 9 Apr 1989 | Jersey Open | −3 (73-70-66-72=281) | Playoff |  Denis Durnian |
| 4 | 31 May 1992 | Dunhill British Masters | −18 (71-67-66-66=270) | Playoff |  Tony Johnstone |
European Tour playoff record (2–2)
| No. | Year | Tournament | Opponent(s) | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1972 | Penfold-Bournemouth Tournament | Peter Oosterhuis | Lost on first extra hole |
| 2 | 1986 | Bell's Scottish Open | Ian Baker-Finch,  David Feherty | Feherty won with birdie on second extra hole |
| 3 | 1989 | Jersey Open | Denis Durnian | Won with par on first extra hole |
| 4 | 1992 | Dunhill British Masters | Tony Johnstone | Won with birdie on first extra hole |
Other wins (9)
- 1973 Irish Match Play Championship
- 1974 Zambia Open
- 1975 Irish Match Play Championship, Irish Dunlop Tournament
- 1976 Sumrie-Bournemouth Better-Ball (with Eamonn Darcy)
- 1977 Irish Match Play Championship, Irish Dunlop Tournament
- 1978 Sumrie-Bournemouth Better-Ball (with Eamonn Darcy)
- 1990 555 Kenya Open
European Seniors Tour wins (2)
| No. | Date | Tournament | Winning score | Margin of victory | Runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 25 Jul 1999 | Senior British Open | −6 (76-69-68-69=282) | 3 strokes |  John Bland |
| 2 | 30 Jul 2000 | Senior British Open | −9 (69-68-70-68=275) | 2 strokes | John Bland |
Senior PGA Tour wins (2)
| No. | Date | Tournament | Winning score | Margin of victory | Runner(s)-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 Jul 1999 | State Farm Senior Classic | −18 (65-66-67=198) | 1 stroke |  Bruce Fleisher |
| 2 | 15 Aug 1999 | Foremost Insurance Championship | −11 (69-68-68=205) | 4 strokes | George Archer, John Jacobs, Jim Thorpe |
Results in major championships
| Tournament | 1970 | 1971 | 1972 | 1973 | 1974 | 1975 | 1976 | 1977 | 1978 | 1979 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Masters Tournament | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | CUT | DNP | DNP |
| The Open Championship | CUT | DNP | DNP | DNP | T24 | T47 | T5 | T52 | CUT | T36 |
| Tournament | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Open Championship | CUT | DNP | CUT | T8 | CUT | T3 | T11 | CUT | CUT | T49 |
| Tournament | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Open Championship | T25 | T32 | DNP | T39 | T60 | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | T60 |
Note:O'Connor did not play in the U.S. Open or PGA Championship.
DNP = Did not play
CUT = missed the half-way cut
"T" = tied
Yellow background for top-10.
Team appearances
- Double Diamond International (representing Ireland): 1972, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977
- Sotogrande Match/Hennessy Cognac Cup (representing Great Britain and Ireland): 1974 (winners), (representing Ireland) 1984
- World Cup (representing Ireland): 1974, 1975, 1978, 1985, 1989, 1992
- Ryder Cup (representing Great Britain and Ireland/Europe): 1975, 1989 (tied – retained Cup)
- Philip Morris International (representing Ireland): 1975, 1976
- Dunhill Cup (representing Ireland): 1985, 1989, 1992
- Praia D'el Rey European Cup: 1998 (tie)
Source: