Ian Baker-Finch
Encyclopedia
Ian Michael Baker-Finch (born 24 October 1960) is an Australian professional golfer
, who is best known for winning The Open Championship
in 1991.
, Australia. He grew up in the same Queensland "neighborhood" as fellow professional golfer
s Greg Norman
and Wayne Grady
.
as his greatest influence, saying that he based his game on Nicklaus' book, Golf My Way. He began his professional career on the PGA Tour of Australasia
, winning his first professional tournament, the New Zealand Open
, in 1983. That victory earned him an entry to the British Open
in 1984. He would make headlines by taking the 36-hole lead, holding onto the lead after three rounds but then shooting a disastrous last round 79 to finish ninth, much in the manner of Bobby Clampett
who had endured a similar collapse two years previously.
Baker-Finch joined the European Tour, winning the 1985 Scandinavian Enterprise Open
and finishing in the top-20 on the order of merit in both 1985 and 1986. At the same time he continued to play in Australasia in the Northern Hemisphere
winter, picking up several further tournament titles there and occasionally played on the Japan Golf Tour
.
Baker-Finch first played on the PGA Tour
as an invitee in 1985 and began to do so regularly in 1989, having qualified for tour membership by finishing third in the 1988 World Series of Golf. He won his first PGA Tour title at the 1989 Southwestern Bell Colonial, gaining him a two-year exemption on Tour. In 1990, he finished 16th on the PGA Tour money list, on the strength of 3 runner-up finishes and 2 third-places.
Despite his steady career, with wins on four continents, including Asia, Baker-Finch was not generally counted as a member of the elite group of international golfers. When he won the 1991 British Open
, closing with a 64–66 to beat Mike Harwood
by two strokes, he was considered a surprise champion. He had three other runner-up finishes that year as well and again qualified for the Tour Championship with a 13th place finish on the money list. He ranked briefly in the top-10 of the Official World Golf Rankings
that year.
Baker-Finch's British Open victory might have proved the catalyst for him to move to a higher level and start to regularly challenge for prestigious titles, but this was not to be the case. He had a 10-year exemption from the PGA Tour for the British Open win, leaving him exempt until 2001. He did achieve a runner-up finish in The Players Championship
in 1992, but otherwise never came close to contending on the PGA Tour again. He picked up one relatively minor win outside the U.S in each of 1992 and 1993, but his form then went into a steep and accelerating decline. He started to lose confidence in his game, and tinkered with his swing often. His last top-10 finish on the PGA Tour was a tie for 10th in the 1994 Masters Tournament.
Baker-Finch then famously suffered a complete collapse of his game. The problems were often psychological: He would hit shots flawlessly on the practice range, and then go to the first tee and hit a weak drive into the wrong fairway. In the 1995 Open Championship at St Andrews
, he notoriously hooked his first round tee-shot at the first out-of-bounds on the left side of the fairway shared with the 18th, with attention focused on him as his playing partner was Arnold Palmer
, competing in his final Open. In 1995 and 1996 he missed the cut, withdrew after one round, or was disqualified in all twenty nine PGA Tour events that he entered. After shooting a 92 in the first round of the 1997 British Open, an extraordinarily bad score by tournament professional standards, he withdrew from the championship and retired from tournament golf. The only PGA Tour events Baker-Finch has played since the 1997 Open Championship was the 2001 MasterCard Colonial, where he missed the cut with rounds of 74 and 77, and the same tournament, now named Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial
in 2009, again missing the cut with rounds of 68 and 78. In 2003, 2005 and 2007 Baker-Finch served as Gary Player's
captain's assistant for the International team in the Presidents Cup
. He plans to compete on the Champions Tour
after he turns 50 in 2010.
. On broadcasts he is often known by the nickname "Finchy". Reporting for CBS at the 2007 The Barclays tournament, Baker-Finch was one of the thousands gathered around the 18th green as Rich Beem
hit his approach shot. The errant shot hit straight on Baker-Finch's cheek and knocked him out, and caused him to fall on his back behind the green. Baker-Finch recovered before Beem got to his ball.
, Florida.
Major championship
is shown in bold.
DNP = Did not play
WD = Withdrew
CUT = missed the half-way cut
"T" indicates a tie for a place
Green background for wins. Yellow background for top-10
Professional golfer
In golf the distinction between amateurs and professionals is rigorously maintained. An amateur who breaches the rules of amateur status may lose his or her amateur status. A golfer who has lost his or her amateur status may not play in amateur competitions until amateur status has been reinstated;...
, who is best known for winning The Open Championship
The Open Championship
The Open Championship, or simply The Open , is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf. It is the only "major" held outside the USA and is administered by The R&A, which is the governing body of golf outside the USA and Mexico...
in 1991.
Early years
Baker-Finch was born in Nambour, QueenslandNambour, Queensland
The area now known as Nambour, was first settled in 1870. The town was then called Petrie's Creek. In 1890 the Maroochy Divisional Board was established...
, Australia. He grew up in the same Queensland "neighborhood" as fellow professional golfer
Professional golfer
In golf the distinction between amateurs and professionals is rigorously maintained. An amateur who breaches the rules of amateur status may lose his or her amateur status. A golfer who has lost his or her amateur status may not play in amateur competitions until amateur status has been reinstated;...
s Greg Norman
Greg Norman
Gregory John Norman AO is an Australian professional golfer and entrepreneur who spent 331 weeks as the world's Number 1 ranked golfer in the 1980s and 1990s...
and Wayne Grady
Wayne Grady
Wayne Desmond Grady is an Australian professional golfer.Grady was born in Brisbane. He turned professional in 1978. He is best known for winning the PGA Championship, one of golf's four majors, in 1990. He was also runner up at The Open Championship in 1989, losing in a playoff against Greg...
.
Professional career
Baker-Finch turned professional in 1979. Baker-Finch credits Jack NicklausJack Nicklaus
Jack William Nicklaus , nicknamed "The Golden Bear", is an American professional golfer. He won 18 career major championships on the PGA Tour over a span of 25 years and is widely regarded as one of the greatest professional golfers of all time. In addition to his 18 Majors, he was runner-up a...
as his greatest influence, saying that he based his game on Nicklaus' book, Golf My Way. He began his professional career on the PGA Tour of Australasia
PGA Tour of Australasia
The PGA Tour of Australasia is a professional golf tour for men. Official events on the tour count for World Golf Ranking points. The tour was formed in 1973 as the PGA Tour of Australia and adopted its current name in 1991....
, winning his first professional tournament, the New Zealand Open
New Zealand Open
The BMW New Zealand Open is the leading men's golf tournament in New Zealand. In 2011, it will be hosted by The Clearwater Resort in Christchurch from 1–4 December. The tournament is being promoted by New Zealand Golf...
, in 1983. That victory earned him an entry to the British Open
The Open Championship
The Open Championship, or simply The Open , is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf. It is the only "major" held outside the USA and is administered by The R&A, which is the governing body of golf outside the USA and Mexico...
in 1984. He would make headlines by taking the 36-hole lead, holding onto the lead after three rounds but then shooting a disastrous last round 79 to finish ninth, much in the manner of Bobby Clampett
Bobby Clampett
Robert Daniel Clampett, Jr. is a television golf analyst, golf course architect, writer, and professional golfer, who played on the PGA Tour from 1980 to 1995. Clampett began playing on the Champions Tour in April 2010....
who had endured a similar collapse two years previously.
Baker-Finch joined the European Tour, winning the 1985 Scandinavian Enterprise Open
Scandinavian Enterprise Open
The Scandinavian Enterprise Open was a golf tournament on the European Tour that was played in Sweden until 1990, when it had a prize fund of £400,000, which was mid-range for the tour at that time....
and finishing in the top-20 on the order of merit in both 1985 and 1986. At the same time he continued to play in Australasia in the Northern Hemisphere
Northern Hemisphere
The Northern Hemisphere is the half of a planet that is north of its equator—the word hemisphere literally means “half sphere”. It is also that half of the celestial sphere north of the celestial equator...
winter, picking up several further tournament titles there and occasionally played on the Japan Golf Tour
Japan Golf Tour
The Japan Golf Tour is a prominent golf tour. It was founded in 1973 and as of 2006 it offers the third highest annual prize fund out of the regular men's professional tours after the PGA Tour and the European Tour. However since the early 1990s, the growth in prize money has not kept pace with...
.
Baker-Finch first played on the PGA Tour
PGA Tour
The PGA Tour is the organizer of the main men's professional golf tours in the United States and North America...
as an invitee in 1985 and began to do so regularly in 1989, having qualified for tour membership by finishing third in the 1988 World Series of Golf. He won his first PGA Tour title at the 1989 Southwestern Bell Colonial, gaining him a two-year exemption on Tour. In 1990, he finished 16th on the PGA Tour money list, on the strength of 3 runner-up finishes and 2 third-places.
Despite his steady career, with wins on four continents, including Asia, Baker-Finch was not generally counted as a member of the elite group of international golfers. When he won the 1991 British Open
The Open Championship
The Open Championship, or simply The Open , is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf. It is the only "major" held outside the USA and is administered by The R&A, which is the governing body of golf outside the USA and Mexico...
, closing with a 64–66 to beat Mike Harwood
Mike Harwood
Michael Geoffrey Harwood is an Australian golfer.Harwood was born in Sydney. He turned professional in 1979 and has extensive experience on the PGA Tour of Australasia and the European Tour. He won five times in Europe, including a 1990 victory in tour's home tournament at Wentworth, which was...
by two strokes, he was considered a surprise champion. He had three other runner-up finishes that year as well and again qualified for the Tour Championship with a 13th place finish on the money list. He ranked briefly in the top-10 of the Official World Golf Rankings
Official World Golf Rankings
The Official World Golf Ranking is a system for rating the performance level of male professional golfers...
that year.
Baker-Finch's British Open victory might have proved the catalyst for him to move to a higher level and start to regularly challenge for prestigious titles, but this was not to be the case. He had a 10-year exemption from the PGA Tour for the British Open win, leaving him exempt until 2001. He did achieve a runner-up finish in The Players Championship
The Players Championship
The Players Championship is an annual golf tournament on the PGA Tour.Originally known as the Tournament Players Championship, the inaugural event in 1974 was played at Atlanta Country Club in Marietta, Georgia before moving to the Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas in 1975 and Inverrary...
in 1992, but otherwise never came close to contending on the PGA Tour again. He picked up one relatively minor win outside the U.S in each of 1992 and 1993, but his form then went into a steep and accelerating decline. He started to lose confidence in his game, and tinkered with his swing often. His last top-10 finish on the PGA Tour was a tie for 10th in the 1994 Masters Tournament.
Baker-Finch then famously suffered a complete collapse of his game. The problems were often psychological: He would hit shots flawlessly on the practice range, and then go to the first tee and hit a weak drive into the wrong fairway. In the 1995 Open Championship at St Andrews
St Andrews
St Andrews is a university town and former royal burgh on the east coast of Fife in Scotland. The town is named after Saint Andrew the Apostle.St Andrews has a population of 16,680, making this the fifth largest settlement in Fife....
, he notoriously hooked his first round tee-shot at the first out-of-bounds on the left side of the fairway shared with the 18th, with attention focused on him as his playing partner was Arnold Palmer
Arnold Palmer
Arnold Daniel Palmer is an American professional golfer, who is generally regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of men's professional golf. He has won numerous events on both the PGA Tour and Champions Tour, dating back to 1955...
, competing in his final Open. In 1995 and 1996 he missed the cut, withdrew after one round, or was disqualified in all twenty nine PGA Tour events that he entered. After shooting a 92 in the first round of the 1997 British Open, an extraordinarily bad score by tournament professional standards, he withdrew from the championship and retired from tournament golf. The only PGA Tour events Baker-Finch has played since the 1997 Open Championship was the 2001 MasterCard Colonial, where he missed the cut with rounds of 74 and 77, and the same tournament, now named Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial
Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial
The Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial is a regular golf tournament on the PGA Tour. It has been played annually in May in Fort Worth, Texas on the course at the Colonial Country Club. It is one of five invitational tournaments held on the PGA Tour...
in 2009, again missing the cut with rounds of 68 and 78. In 2003, 2005 and 2007 Baker-Finch served as Gary Player's
Gary Player
Gary Player DMS; OIG is a South African professional golfer. With his nine major championship victories, he is widely regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of golf. He was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1974. Player has won 165 tournaments on six continents over six...
captain's assistant for the International team in the Presidents Cup
Presidents Cup
The Presidents Cup is a series of men's golf matches between a team representing the United States and an International Team representing the rest of the world less Europe. Europe competes against the U.S. in a similar but considerably older event, the Ryder Cup. The Presidents Cup is held biennially...
. He plans to compete on the Champions Tour
Champions Tour
The Champions Tour, a golf tour run by the PGA Tour, hosts a series of events annually in the United States and the United Kingdom for golfers 50 years of age and older. Many of the PGA Tour's most successful golfers have gone on to play on the Champions Tour.The Senior PGA Championship, founded in...
after he turns 50 in 2010.
Other work
After his game deserted him, Baker-Finch turned his interests to careers in broadcasting; and in golf course design and management. He was hired by ABC Sports to commentate on golf tournaments in 1998, and did so until 2006, when he was hired by CBS SportsCBS Sports
CBS Sports is a division of CBS Broadcasting which airs sporting events on the American television network. Its headquarters are in the CBS Building on West 52nd Street in midtown Manhattan, New York City, with programs produced out of Studio 43 at the CBS Broadcast Center on West 57th Street.CBS...
. On broadcasts he is often known by the nickname "Finchy". Reporting for CBS at the 2007 The Barclays tournament, Baker-Finch was one of the thousands gathered around the 18th green as Rich Beem
Rich Beem
Richard Michael Beem is an American professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour.Beem was born in Phoenix, Arizona, grew up in El Paso, Texas, and played golf at New Mexico State University in Las Cruces, New Mexico....
hit his approach shot. The errant shot hit straight on Baker-Finch's cheek and knocked him out, and caused him to fall on his back behind the green. Baker-Finch recovered before Beem got to his ball.
Personal life
Baker-Finch and his wife, Jennie, have two daughters Jenny and Laura; they live in North Palm BeachNorth Palm Beach, Florida
North Palm Beach is an incorporated village in Palm Beach County, Florida, United States. The population was 12,064 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 12,645...
, Florida.
PGA Tour wins (2)
EWLINE
|
| No. | Date | Tournament | Winning Score | Margin of Victory |
Runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 21 May 1989 1989 PGA Tour The 1989 PGA Tour season was played from January 5 to October 29. The season consisted of 44 official money events. Steve Jones and Tom Kite won the most tournaments, three, and there were nine first-time winners. The tournament results, leaders, and award winners are listed below.-Tournament... |
Southwestern Bell Colonial | 4 strokes |  David EdwardsDavid Edwards (golfer) David Wayne Edwards is an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour from 1979–2005 and now plays on the Champions Tour. He is the younger brother of former PGA Tour professional, Danny Edwards.... |
|
| 2 | 21 Jul 1991 1991 PGA Tour The 1991 PGA Tour season was played from January 3 to November 3. The season consisted of 44 official money events. Billy Andrade, Mark Brooks, Fred Couples, Andrew Magee, Corey Pavin, Nick Price, Tom Purtzer, and Ian Woosnam won the most tournaments, two, and there were 14 first-time winners... |
The Open Championship The Open Championship The Open Championship, or simply The Open , is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf. It is the only "major" held outside the USA and is administered by The R&A, which is the governing body of golf outside the USA and Mexico... |
2 strokes |  Mike HarwoodMike Harwood Michael Geoffrey Harwood is an Australian golfer.Harwood was born in Sydney. He turned professional in 1979 and has extensive experience on the PGA Tour of Australasia and the European Tour. He won five times in Europe, including a 1990 victory in tour's home tournament at Wentworth, which was... |
European Tour wins (2)
- 1985 Scandinavian Enterprise OpenScandinavian Enterprise OpenThe Scandinavian Enterprise Open was a golf tournament on the European Tour that was played in Sweden until 1990, when it had a prize fund of £400,000, which was mid-range for the tour at that time....
- 1991 The Open ChampionshipThe Open ChampionshipThe Open Championship, or simply The Open , is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf. It is the only "major" held outside the USA and is administered by The R&A, which is the governing body of golf outside the USA and Mexico...
Major championship
Men's major golf championships
The men's major golf championships, commonly known as the Major Championships, and often referred to simply as the majors, are the four most prestigious annual tournaments in professional golf...
is shown in bold.
PGA Tour of Australasia wins (11)
- 1983 New Zealand OpenNew Zealand OpenThe BMW New Zealand Open is the leading men's golf tournament in New Zealand. In 2011, it will be hosted by The Clearwater Resort in Christchurch from 1–4 December. The tournament is being promoted by New Zealand Golf...
- 1984 Western Australia Open, New South Wales OpenNew South Wales Open (golf)The New South Wales Open is an annual golf tournament held in Australia. It was founded in 1931 as the New South Wales Close Championship, before becoming the New South Wales state open championship in 1958....
- 1985 Queensland PGA, Victorian OpenVictorian OpenThe Victorian Open is an annual golf tournament held in Australia. It was founded in 1957 and is the Victoria state open championship.The Victorian Open is one of the lower rated events on the PGA Tour of Australasia schedule, having previously been part of the developmental Von Nida Tour which...
- 1987 Australian Match Play Championship
- 1988 Australian MastersAustralian MastersThe Australian Masters, currently known as the JBWere Masters for sponsorship reasons, is an annual golf tournament on the PGA Tour of Australasia. The tournament was founded in 1979, and was co-sanctioned by the European Tour for the first time in 2006, with a significant 20% increase in the prize...
- 1990 Coolum Classic, Queensland Open
- 1992 Vines Classic
- 1993 Australian PGA ChampionshipAustralian PGA ChampionshipThe Australian PGA Championship, formerly known as the Cadbury Schweppes Australian PGA Championship, is a golf tournament on the PGA Tour of Australasia. It is the home tournament of the Australian PGA and dates back to 1905...
Japan Golf Tour wins (3)
- 1987 Golf Digest TournamentGolf Digest TournamentThe Golf Digest Tournament was a golf tournament in Japan. It was founded in 1971 and was part of the Japan Golf Tour from 1973 to 1997. It was played in October at the Tomei Country Club in Shizuoka.-Winners:Golf Digest Tournament*1997 Brandt Jobe...
- 1988 Pocari Sweat OpenPocari Sweat OpenThe Pocari Sweat Open was a golf tournament on the Japan Golf Tour from at least 1984 to 1994. It was played in April at the Hakuryuko Country Club in Hiroshima.-Winners:this list may be incompletePocari Sweat Open*1994 Yoshi Mizumaki...
, Bridgestone ASO OpenBridgestone ASO OpenThe Bridgestone ASO Open was a golf tournament on the Japan Golf Tour from at least 1977 to 1993. It was played at the ASO Golf Club in Kumamoto.-Winners:this list may be incompleteBridgestone ASO Open*1993 Shigeru Kawamata*1992 Peter Senior...
Wins (1)
| Year | Championship | 54 holes | Winning score | Margin | Runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 1991 Open Championship The 1991 Open Championship was the 120nd Open Championship held from 18-21 July at Royal Birkdale Golf Club in Southport, England. Ian Baker-Finch won his first major championship by two strokes over Mike Harwood.-First round:-Second round:... |
The Open Championship The Open Championship The Open Championship, or simply The Open , is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf. It is the only "major" held outside the USA and is administered by The R&A, which is the governing body of golf outside the USA and Mexico... |
Tied for lead | −8 (71–71–64–66=272) | 2 strokes | Mike Harwood Mike Harwood Michael Geoffrey Harwood is an Australian golfer.Harwood was born in Sydney. He turned professional in 1979 and has extensive experience on the PGA Tour of Australasia and the European Tour. He won five times in Europe, including a 1990 victory in tour's home tournament at Wentworth, which was... |
Results timeline
| Tournament | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Masters | DNP | CUT | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP |
| U.S. Open U.S. Open (golf) The United States Open Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Open, is the annual open golf tournament of the United States. It is the second of the four major championships in golf, and is on the official schedule of both the PGA Tour and the European Tour... |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP |
| The Open Championship The Open Championship The Open Championship, or simply The Open , is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf. It is the only "major" held outside the USA and is administered by The R&A, which is the governing body of golf outside the USA and Mexico... |
T9 | T20 | CUT | CUT | CUT | T30 |
| PGA Championship PGA Championship The PGA Championship is an annual golf tournament conducted by the PGA of America as part of the PGA Tour. It is one of the four major championships in men's professional golf, and is the golf season's final major, usually played in mid-August, customarily four weeks after The Open Championship... |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | T34 |
| Tournament | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Masters | CUT | T7 | T6 | T54 | T10 | CUT | CUT | DNP |
| U.S. Open U.S. Open (golf) The United States Open Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Open, is the annual open golf tournament of the United States. It is the second of the four major championships in golf, and is on the official schedule of both the PGA Tour and the European Tour... |
DNP | T44 | T13 | T19 | CUT | CUT | CUT | DNP |
| The Open Championship The Open Championship The Open Championship, or simply The Open , is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf. It is the only "major" held outside the USA and is administered by The R&A, which is the governing body of golf outside the USA and Mexico... |
T6 | 1 | T19 | T70 | CUT | CUT | CUT | WD |
| PGA Championship PGA Championship The PGA Championship is an annual golf tournament conducted by the PGA of America as part of the PGA Tour. It is one of the four major championships in men's professional golf, and is the golf season's final major, usually played in mid-August, customarily four weeks after The Open Championship... |
T57 | CUT | T69 | 66 | CUT | CUT | DNP | DNP |
DNP = Did not play
WD = Withdrew
CUT = missed the half-way cut
"T" indicates a tie for a place
Green background for wins. Yellow background for top-10
See also
- Golfers with most major championship wins
- Golfers with most PGA Tour of Australasia winsGolfers with most PGA Tour of Australasia winsThis is a list of golfers who have recorded the most tournament wins on the PGA Tour of Australasia since it was established in 1911. It is currently known as the PGA Tour of Australasia. It was previously named the Australian Tour from 1973 to 1991. This list contains golfers who have won any...