Russell Weir

Russell David Weir (11 July 1951 – 21 September 2022) was a Scottish professional golfer.[1] He chose not to play on the main tours, remaining a club professional. He played mostly on the Scottish PGA circuit, the "Tartan Tour", where he won over 100 times. He won the PGA Club Professionals Championship in 1987 and 1988 and won the European club professional title three times. He played in eight consecutive PGA Cup matches between 1986 and 2000 and was captain of the Great Britain and Ireland team in 2011 and 2013. After reaching 50 he played on the European Senior Tour where he won once.

Russell Weir
Personal information
Full nameRussell David Weir
Born(1951-07-11)11 July 1951
Dunoon, Scotland
Died21 September 2022(2022-09-21) (aged 71)
Greenock, Scotland
Sporting nationality Scotland
Career
Turned professional1971
Former tour(s)European Senior Tour
Professional wins17
Number of wins by tour
European Senior Tour1
Other16
Best results in major championships
Masters TournamentDNP
PGA ChampionshipDNP
U.S. OpenDNP
The Open ChampionshipCUT

Amateur career

Weir won the Scottish Boys' Championship at North Berwick in April 1968, beating Mike Grubb 6&4 in the 36-hole final. He had reduced his handicap from 12 to 4 in the previous year.[2] In August he captained the Scottish team in the England–Scotland boys match that preceded the Boys Amateur Championship.[3] In 1969 he finished fifth in the British Youths Open Amateur Championship at Lindrick, despite a poor finish.[4] He represented Scotland in the 1971 youth international against England, that preceded the British youths championship.[5]

Professional career

Weir turned professional in 1971 and became the professional at Cowal Golf Club, Dunoon, in 1979.[6] Despite qualifying for the Open Championship in 1975 and 1976, he had little success until the early 1980s.[7] He never played regularly on any of the major tours, but had considerable success on the domestic "Tartan Tour" where he won over 100 times.[1] His first 72-hole win came in the 1983 Scottish Coca-Cola Tournament at North Berwick, where he finished with two rounds of 68 to beat David Robertson by a stroke.[8] In 1984 he won the Carnoustie Challenge with a score of 11-under-par on the championship course, a stroke ahead of Bill Lockie, while in 1985 he won the Scottish Brewers Round-robin Tournament at Dumphries & County, with seven wins and a half from his eight matches.[9][10] In 1986 he won the Northern Open at Nairn, a stroke ahead of Ross Drummond, despite Drummond's final round of 67.[11] He also won the Dunbar Professional Championship three times in succession from 1988 to 1990, the Sunderland of Scotland Masters three times, in 1988, 1990 and 1994, and the 1989 Daily Express Scottish National Pro-am.[12][13] He never won the Scottish PGA Championship, although he was twice a runner-up, behind Drummond in 1987 and Sam Torrance in 1991.[14][15] Weir won the Scottish region Order of Merit five times, in 1983, 1986, 1988, 1990 and 1993.[16]

Weir was twice winner of the PGA Club Professionals' Championship, in 1987 and 1988. At Sandiway in 1987 he won by two strokes from John Hoskison and David Huish, despite taking seven at the par-3 13th in the final round.[17] In 1988 at Royal St David's he won by eight strokes from Ged Furey.[18] In the 1987 Scottish Open Weir had a final round 66 to finish tied for 15th place. He gained an entry into the Open Championship at Muirfield the following week, as one of the leading five not already qualified.[19] The following year, 1988, he did even better, finishing tied for 8th place and again earning a place in the Open.[20] This 8th place finish was his best finish in an official European Tour event, although he finished third in the 1989 Motorola Classic at Burnham & Berrow, an event the tour jointly organised with the PGA.[21]

Weir won the European teaching professionals title at Broekpolder three times.[22]

Weir competed in the PGA Cup eight consecutive times between 1986 and 2000 and was captain of the Great Britain and Ireland team in 2011 and 2013.[1]

Weir played on the European Senior Tour from 2001 to 2003 and in 2005.[23] In 2001 he won the TEMES Seniors Open in Greece, a stroke ahead of David Good.[24]

Personal life

Weir died on 21 September 2022, at the age of 71.[25]

Amateur wins
  • 1968 Scottish Boys' Championship

Professional wins (17)

Other wins (16)

European Senior Tour wins (1)
No. Date Tournament Winning score Margin of
victory		 Runner-up
1 23 Sep 2001 TEMES Seniors Open −14 (66-68-68=202) 1 stroke Australia David Good

Results in major championships
Tournament 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995
The Open Championship CUT CUT CUT CUT CUT CUT

Note: Weir only played in The Open Championship.

  Did not play

CUT = missed the half-way cut

Source:[7]

Team appearances

Amateur

Professional

  • PGA Cup (representing Great Britain and Ireland): 1986, 1988, 1990, 1992, 1994, 1996 (tied), 1998, 2000, 2011 (non-playing captain), 2013 (tied, non-playing captain)

References
  1. "PGA Cup stalwart and Tartan Tour great Russell Weir passes away at 71". The PGA. 22 September 2022. Retrieved 25 September 2022.
  2. "Power and skill with long irons play big part in Weir's win". The Glasgow Herald. 15 April 1968. p. 4.
  3. "English boys defeat the Scots". The Guardian. 19 August 1968. p. 13 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. Campbell, John (11 August 1969). "Cook holds on for title". The Daily Telegraph. p. 8 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. Jacobs, Raymond (4 August 1971). "Scots youths overwhelmed by English". The Glasgow Herald. p. 8.
  6. "Russell Weir overview". European Tour. Retrieved 25 September 2022.
  7. Brenner, Morgan G. (2009). The Majors of Golf: Complete Results of the Open, the U.S. Open, the PGA Championship and the Masters, 1860-2008. Vol. 1. McFarland. ISBN 978-0-7864-3360-5.
  8. "Weir takes first prize as Robertson falters". The Glasgow Herald. 5 August 1983. p. 23.
  9. "Russell Weir". The Glasgow Herald. 8 October 1984. p. 18.
  10. "Weir wins on points". The Glasgow Herald. 30 September 1985. p. 15.
  11. "Weir survives birdie blitz". The Glasgow Herald. 3 May 1986. p. 18.
  12. Dempster, Martin (22 September 2022). "Tributes paid to Russell Weir, Cowal legend and Tartan Tour Chieftain". The Scotsman.
  13. Giles, Karen (16 September 1989). "Russell lands the spoils". The Glasgow Herald. p. 19.
  14. "Drummond again swings in the 60s". The Glasgow Herald. 10 August 1987. p. 9.
  15. "Scottish Brewers Scottish Professional Championship". The Times. 17 June 1991. p. 35.
  16. "The PGA in Scotland Order of Merit Winners". Archived from the original on 1 February 2020.
  17. "Weir's title despite a short-hole seven". The Glasgow Herald. 29 June 1987. p. 14.
  18. Burnside, Elspeth (13 June 1988). "Weir proves class apart". The Glasgow Herald. p. 12.
  19. Williams, Michael (11 August 1987). "Young Nicklaus left in shade by "caddie"". The Daily Telegraph. p. 8 – via Newspapers.com.
  20. Jacobs, Raymond (11 July 1988). "Torrance tips the scales in favour of young Lane". The Glasgow Herald. p. 12.
  21. Burnside, Elspeth (2 October 1989). "Weir is third despite cracking his putter". The Glasgow Herald. p. 10.
  22. "Russell Weir". The Daily Telegraph. 9 August 1993. p. 40 – via Newspapers.com.
  23. "Russell Weir Career Record Details". European Tour. Retrieved 25 September 2022.
  24. "Weir Claims First European Seniors Tour Title". European Tour. Retrieved 25 September 2022.
  25. "Mr Russell David Weir". Caladh Funeral Directors. Retrieved 25 September 2022.
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