Ronan Rafferty

Northern Irish professional golfer

Ronan Rafferty

Personal information
Full name| Ronan Patrick Rafferty
Born|  (1964-01-13) 13 January 1964 (age 61)
Newry, County Down, Northern Ireland
Height| 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Weight| 189 lb (86 kg; 13.5 st)
Sporting nationality|  Northern Ireland
Residence| Gleneagles, Scotland[citation needed]
Spouse| Yvonne Rafferty
Children| 2
Career
Turned professional| 1981
Former tour(s)| European Tour
Southern Africa Tour
PGA Tour of Australasia
European Senior Tour
Professional wins| 14
Highest ranking| 16 (13 May 1990)[1]
Number of wins by tour
European Tour| 7
PGA Tour of Australasia| 5
Other| 2
Best results in major championships

Masters Tournament| T14: 1990
PGA Championship| CUT: 1990
U.S. Open| 63rd: 1990
The Open Championship| T9: 1984
Achievements and awards
| European Tour
Order of Merit winner| 1989

|

Ronan Patrick Rafferty (born 13 January 1964) is a Northern Irish professional golfer who formerly played on the European Tour. He won the European Tour Order of Merit in 1989.

## Early life

[edit]

Rafferty was born in Newry, Northern Ireland. He won the Boys Amateur Championship aged 15, qualified for the Open Championship at age 16, and played in the 1981 Walker Cup aged 17. He tied for first place with Peter McEvoy in the 1980 English Open Amateur Stroke Play Championship for the Brabazon Trophy. According to Rafferty, as an amateur he and future pro Philip Walton had the best handicaps in the country.[2]

## Professional career

[edit]

For a period Rafferty was one of the best professional golfers in Europe. Between 1987 and 1993, he won 12 official tournaments around the world: five in Australia and seven in Europe. He led the 1989 European Tour Order of Merit and qualified for the 1989 Ryder Cup team. By the early 1990s, he came close to breaking the then-record for consecutive cuts made on the European Tour. He also spent over 100 weeks ranking inside the top 25 of the Official World Golf Ranking between 1989 and 1993.[3]

Rafferty joined the European Tour in 1982. His first year was solid (if unremarkable) with one top-ten placing and 48th ranking on the Order of Merit. His second season, in 1983, inaugurated an excellent stretch that lasted throughout the 1980s. In eight straight seasons, he finished in the top 30 of the Order of Merit and recorded at least six top-10s per year.

He struggled at coming through down the stretch, however. He recorded an astonishing 62 top-10s before his first European Tour victory.[4][5] This included a playoff loss to compatriot David Feherty at the 1986 Lancia Italian Open.

He had better luck winning down under, however, recording two wins on the 1987 Australasian Tour. The second victory was at the New Zealand Open, where he defeated defending PGA Championship winner Larry Nelson in a playoff. He was the first European to win New Zealand's national open since the 1920s. He also won the 1988 Australian Match Play Championship, defeating Australian Mike Clayton in the finals.

After knocking on the door for years, Rafferty would finally win in Europe in 1989. He avenged his 1986 playoff loss at the Italian Open with a one-stroke win over Sam Torrance. This would be Rafferty's best season, as he would win an additional two events and record 15 top-10 finishes. At the end of the year, he won the Volvo Masters, the most prestigious win of his career, defeating Nick Faldo by one shot. He would go on to win the European Tour Order of Merit. He would also finish atop the 1989 Ryder Cup standings and play in his only Ryder Cup that year at The Belfry. Although Rafferty did not play well (he lost both team matches he played), he won his singles match against defending Open Championship winner Mark Calcavecchia on the 18th hole for a 1up win.[6] This tight win proved indispensable as the European team struggled on the last day and only barely retained the cup with a 14–14 tie.

1990 was another great season for Rafferty. He won the Coca-Cola Classic, PLM Open and Ebel European Masters Swiss Open, recorded two runner-ups and had 12 top-10s in 30 official tour events.[7] His excellent play earned him a special foreign invitation to play the Masters for the first time. In the spring he reached his career peak of #16 in the Official World Golf Ranking after a tie for 6th at the Belgian Open.[7] He also qualified for the U.S. Open and PGA Championship; he was the first Irish pro to play in the U.S. Open since the 1940s.[8]

The remainder of the early 1990s would see Rafferty play a mixture of some good and more disappointing golf. Although he recorded six official top-10s, including a runner-up finish at the European Pro-Celebrity pro-am, 1991 was a frustrating year. For the first time in five seasons, Rafferty did not win an official international event. He missed a European Tour cut for the first time in years at the Spanish Open.[9] His play at the majors was especially weak. He missed the cut at the Masters, abruptly withdrew from the U.S. Open in the middle of the second round and failed to qualify for the Open Championship for the first time. His withdrawal from the U.S. Open was particularly contentious and he was fined by the European Tour.[8] By the end of the season he was in danger of leaving the top 50 in the world rankings.[9]

The beginning of the 1992 season suddenly saw Rafferty go on perhaps the hottest stretch of his career. He finished no worse than second place in five consecutive worldwide events: a victory at the Daikyo Palm Meadows Cup for his final win in Australia; a tie for second at the European-sanctioned Johnnie Walker Classic in Bangkok, Thailand; a playoff loss to Seve Ballesteros at the Dubai Desert Classic; a runner-up to American legend Tom Watson at the Hong Kong Open; and finally a victory at the Portuguese Open.[10] His world ranking would peak again at #16 after his win in Portugal.[10]

This period also marked the beginning of a slow decline that would persist. In the heart of the season, playing in more challenging European and American events, Rafferty missed the cut in most of the events he played; and, when he made the cut, he usually finished near the bottom.[10]

1993 marked a brief return to form. After recording some[which?] high finishes in minor European and South African events in late 1992/early 1993, Rafferty recorded a number of top-10s in the middle of the 1993 European season.[11] This would culminate with a victory at the 1993 Hohe Brucke Austrian Open. Rafferty would finish the season ranked inside the global top 50.[11]

The 1994 season, however, would mark the beginning of the end of his career as a touring professional. His victory in Austria would be his last. He recorded only two top-10s in 26 European events and failed to finish in the top 50 of the Order of Merit for the first time.[4]

Rafferty maintained full-time status for three more years and recorded a spate of top 10s but could come close to matching his 1980s heyday.[4] In 1997 broken bones in his left hand severely affected his play. After the 1997 season, he failed to enter the top 100 of the Order of Merit again.[4] He would retire as a touring professional after the 2003 season.[4]

## Personal life

[edit]

Rafferty was first married to Clare and had two children.[12] His second wife is Yvonne.[citation needed]

In 1987, while playing on the Australasian Tour during the European Tour offseason, he lived with the family of Australian pro Ian Baker-Finch. During this time, Rafferty became a connoisseur of Australian wine. He remains a noted wine collector.[12]

Rafferty now plays few tournaments, and is involved in broadcasting, where he works as a commentator and analyst, and golf course design. He regularly appeared on Setanta golf's coverage.[2]

## Legacy

[edit]

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Rafferty is known for prefiguring the rise of professional golf in Northern Ireland. He and David Feherty were the first Northern Irish golfers to win consistently on the European Tour. Shortly after they retired, golfers like Graeme McDowell, Rory McIlroy and Darren Clarke would go on to greater success, winning major championships.

Rafferty was one of the best European golfers during the 1980s and early 1990s. He won 12 official worldwide tour events between 1987 and 1993. By comparison, Nick Faldo, the best European golfer of that era, won 17 tour events during that timespan. Paul Azinger, the most victorious American golfer during that timespan, won only one more event than Rafferty during these years.

## Amateur wins

[edit]

* 1979 Boys Amateur Championship
* 1980 Brabazon Trophy (tie with Peter McEvoy)

## Professional wins (14)

[edit]

### European Tour wins (7)

[edit]

Legend

Tour Championships (1)
Other European Tour (6)
No.  | Date  | Tournament  | Winning score  | Margin of
victory  | Runner-up

|
|
|
|
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1  | 21 May 1989 | Lancia Italian Open | −15 (71-69-68-65=273)  | 1 stroke  |  Sam Torrance
2  | 6 Aug 1989  | Scandinavian Enterprise Open | −20 (70-69-64-65=268)  | 2 strokes  |  Michael Allen
3  | 29 Oct 1989  | Volvo Masters | −6 (72-69-70-71=282)  | 1 stroke  |  Nick Faldo
4  | 5 Aug 1990 | PLM Open | −18 (64-67-70-69=270)  | 4 strokes  |  Vijay Singh
5  | 2 Sep 1990  | Ebel European Masters Swiss Open | −21 (70-65-66-66=267)  | 2 strokes  |  John Bland
6  | 22 Mar 1992 | Portuguese Open | −15 (67-71-67-68=273)  | 1 stroke  |  Anders Forsbrand
7  | 15 Aug 1993 | Hohe Brücke Austrian Open | −14 (65-69-72-68=274)  | Playoff  |  Anders Sørensen

European Tour playoff record (1–4)

No. | Year | Tournament | Opponent(s) | Result

|
|
|
|

1  | 1986 | Italian Open |  David Feherty | Lost to birdie on second extra hole
2  | 1989 | KLM Dutch Open |  Roger Chapman,  José María Olazábal | Olazábal won with double-bogey on ninth extra hole
Chapman eliminated by par on first hole
3  | 1990 | Vinho Verde Atlantic Open |  Richard Boxall,  Stephen Hamill,
Stephen McAllister,  Anders Sørensen,
David Williams | McAllister won with par on first extra hole
4  | 1992 | Dubai Desert Classic |  Seve Ballesteros | Lost to birdie on second extra hole
5  | 1993 | Hohe Brücke Austrian Open |  Anders Sørensen | Won with par on first extra hole

### PGA Tour of Australasia wins (5)

[edit]

No.  | Date  | Tournament  | Winning score  | Margin of
victory  | Runner(s)-up

|
|
|
|
|

1  | 14 Nov 1987 | West End South Australian Open | −8 (72-68-71-69=280)  | 1 stroke  |  Peter Fowler
2  | 13 Dec 1987
(1988 season)  | Nissan-Mobil New Zealand Open | −9 (72-65-71-71=279)  | Playoff  |  Larry Nelson
3  | 7 Feb 1988  | Mercedes-Benz Australian Match Play Championship | 1 up  |  Mike Clayton
4  | 21 Jan 1990 | Coca-Cola Classic | −10 (72-69-68-69=278)  | 2 strokes  |  Brian Watts
5  | 19 Jan 1992 | Daikyo Palm Meadows Cup | −10 (68-72-73-65=278)  | 2 strokes  |  Bradley Hughes,  Brett Ogle

PGA Tour of Australasia playoff record (1–0)

No. | Year | Tournament | Opponent | Result

|
|
|
|

1  | 1987 | Nissan-Mobil New Zealand Open |  Larry Nelson | Won with par on seventh extra hole

### South American Golf Circuit wins (1)

[edit]

No.  | Date  | Tournament  | Winning score  | Margin of
victory  | Runner-up

|
|
|
|
|

1  | 28 Nov 1982  | Venezuela Open | −8 (66-66-70-70=272)  | 1 stroke  |  Lee Carter

### Other wins (1)

[edit]

* 1988 Equity & Law Challenge

## Results in major championships

[edit]

Tournament  | 1980  | 1981  | 1982  | 1983  | 1984  | 1985  | 1986  | 1987  | 1988  | 1989  | 1990  | 1991  | 1992  | 1993  | 1994  | 1995

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

Masters Tournament |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | T14  | CUT  |  |  |  |
U.S. Open |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 63  | WD  | CUT  |  |  |
The Open Championship | CUT  |  |  | 61  | T9  | T44  | T21  | CUT  | T38  | T61  | T31  |  | T39  |  | T11  | CUT
PGA Championship |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | CUT  |  |  |  |  |

Top 10

Did not play

CUT = missed the half-way cut
WD = Withdrew
"T" indicates a tie for a place

### Summary

[edit]

Tournament | Wins | 2nd | 3rd | Top-5 | Top-10 | Top-25 | Events | Cuts made

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

Masters Tournament | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1
U.S. Open | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1
The Open Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 12 | 9
PGA Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0
Totals | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 18 | 11

* Most consecutive cuts made – 5 (1988 Open Championship – 1990 Open Championship)
* Longest streak of top-10s – 1

## Team appearances

[edit]

Amateur

* European Youths' Team Championship (representing Ireland): 1979 (winners),[13] 1980[14]
* Jacques Léglise Trophy (representing Great Britain & Ireland): 1979 (winners)
* European Boys' Team Championship (representing Ireland): 1980[15]
* Eisenhower Trophy (representing Great Britain and Ireland): 1980
* St Andrews Trophy (representing Great Britain and Ireland): 1980 (winners)
* Walker Cup (representing Great Britain and Ireland): 1981
* European Amateur Team Championship (representing Ireland): 1981[16]

Professional

* World Cup (representing Ireland): 1983, 1984, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993
* Hennessy Cognac Cup (representing Ireland): 1984
* Dunhill Cup (representing Ireland): 1986, 1987, 1988 (winners), 1989, 1990 (winners), 1991, 1992, 1993, 1995
* Four Tours World Championship (representing Europe): 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991 (winners)
* Ryder Cup (representing Europe): 1989 (tie, cup retained)
* Record: 3 matches, 1 point (33% point percentage)
* All formats (W–L–H): 1–2–0 = 1 pt
* Singles: 1–0–0 = 1pt
* Foursomes: 0–2–0 = 0pts
* Fourballs: 0–0–0 = 0pts

## See also

[edit]

* List of people on the postage stamps of Ireland

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Week 19 1990 Ending 13 May 1990" (pdf). OWGR. Retrieved 4 October 2019.
2. ^ a b "A firebrand still shooting from the hip". The Irish Times. 11 August 2009. Retrieved 11 May 2019.
3. ^ "Ronan Rafferty". Official World Golf Ranking.
4. ^ a b c d e "Ronan Rafferty". European Tour. Retrieved 11 May 2019.
5. ^ "Ronan Rafferty – 1989". Official World Golf Ranking.
6. ^ Swift, E.M. (2 October 1989). "Fit to Be Tied". Sports Illustrated.
7. ^ a b "Ronan Rafferty – 1990". Official World Golf Ranking.
8. ^ a b Kelly, Liam (15 June 2015). "How Ronan Rafferty paved way for Irish glory at US Open". Irish Independent.
9. ^ a b "Ronan Rafferty – 1991". Official World Golf Ranking.
10. ^ a b c "Ronan Rafferty – 1992". Official World Golf Ranking.
11. ^ a b "Ronan Rafferty – 1993". Official World Golf Ranking.
12. ^ a b Reason, Mark (15 June 2002). "No sadness on Rafferty's golf odyssey". The Daily Telegraph. London. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 11 May 2019.
13. ^ Stenport, Göran (September 1979). "Stopp mot Danmark även i Junior-EM" [Stop against Denmark in European Youth's Team Championship also]. Svensk Golf (in Swedish). No. 7/1979. p. 27. Retrieved 3 January 2023.
14. ^ Stenport, Göran (August 1980). "Grattis Europamästare! Junior-EM, herrar" [Congrats European Champions! European Youth's Team Championship]. Svensk Golf (in Swedish). No. 6/1980. pp. 31, 68. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
15. ^ "Sverige 5:a i pojk-EM" [Sweden 5th at European Boys' Team Championship]. Svensk Golf (in Swedish). No. 3/1980. August 1980. p. 69. Retrieved 31 January 2023.
16. ^ Jacobs, Raymond (27 June 1981). "Scotland into last four by tight margins". The Glasgow Herald. p. 16. Retrieved 28 March 2021.

## External links

[edit]

* Official website
* Ronan Rafferty at the European Tour official site
* Ronan Rafferty at the Official World Golf Ranking official site

* v
* t
* e

European Tour Order of Merit and Race to Dubai winners

* 1971 Peter Oosterhuis
* 1972 Peter Oosterhuis
* 1973 Peter Oosterhuis
* 1974 Peter Oosterhuis
* 1975 Dale Hayes
* 1976 Seve Ballesteros
* 1977 Seve Ballesteros
* 1978 Seve Ballesteros
* 1979 Sandy Lyle
* 1980 Sandy Lyle
* 1981 Bernhard Langer
* 1982 Greg Norman
* 1983 Nick Faldo
* 1984 Bernhard Langer
* 1985 Sandy Lyle
* 1986 Seve Ballesteros
* 1987 Ian Woosnam
* 1988 Seve Ballesteros
* 1989 Ronan Rafferty
* 1990 Ian Woosnam
* 1991 Seve Ballesteros
* 1992 Nick Faldo
* 1993 Colin Montgomerie
* 1994 Colin Montgomerie
* 1995 Colin Montgomerie
* 1996 Colin Montgomerie
* 1997 Colin Montgomerie
* 1998 Colin Montgomerie
* 1999 Colin Montgomerie
* 2000 Lee Westwood
* 2001 Retief Goosen
* 2002 Retief Goosen
* 2003 Ernie Els
* 2004 Ernie Els
* 2005 Colin Montgomerie
* 2006 Pádraig Harrington
* 2007 Justin Rose
* 2008 Robert Karlsson
* 2009 Lee Westwood
* 2010 Martin Kaymer
* 2011 Luke Donald
* 2012 Rory McIlroy
* 2013 Henrik Stenson
* 2014 Rory McIlroy
* 2015 Rory McIlroy
* 2016 Henrik Stenson
* 2017 Tommy Fleetwood
* 2018 Francesco Molinari
* 2019 Jon Rahm
* 2020 Lee Westwood
* 2021 Collin Morikawa
* 2022 Rory McIlroy

* v
* t
* e

European Ryder Cup team – 1989

* Seve Ballesteros
* Gordon Brand Jnr
* José María Cañizares
* Howard Clark
* Nick Faldo
* Mark James
* Bernhard Langer
* Christy O'Connor Jnr
* José María Olazábal
* Ronan Rafferty
* Sam Torrance
* Ian Woosnam

* Tony Jacklin (non-playing captain)

Tied: 14 - 14

* v
* t
* e

RTÉ Sports Person of the Year winners

* 1985 Barry McGuigan
* 1986 Sean Kelly
* 1987 Stephen Roche
* 1988 Eamonn Darcy, Ronan Rafferty & Des Smyth
* 1989 Christy O'Connor Jnr
* 1990 Packie Bonner
* 1991 Ralph Keyes
* 1992 Michael Carruth
* 1993 Sonia O'Sullivan
* 1994 Sonia O'Sullivan
* 1995 Sonia O'Sullivan
* 1996 Michelle Smith
* 1997 Ken Doherty
* 1998 Sonia O'Sullivan
* 1999 Roy Keane
* 2000 Sonia O'Sullivan
* 2001 Mick McCarthy
* 2002 Pádraig Harrington
* 2003 Barry Geraghty
* 2004 Ronan O'Gara
* 2005 Seán Óg Ó hAilpín
* 2006 Henry Shefflin
* 2007 Pádraig Harrington
* 2008 Pádraig Harrington
* 2009 Brian O'Driscoll
* 2010 Graeme McDowell
* 2011 Rory McIlroy
* 2012 Katie Taylor
* 2013 Tony McCoy
* 2014 Rory McIlroy
* 2015 Michael Conlan
* 2016 Conor McGregor
* 2017 James McClean
* 2018 Johnny Sexton
* 2019 Shane Lowry
* 2020 Katie Taylor
* 2021 Rachael Blackmore
* 2022 Katie Taylor
* 2023 Rhys McClenaghan
* 2024 Paul O'Donovan

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