Ian Baker-Finch
Name:
Ian Michael Baker-FinchCountry:
AustraliaBorn:
Oct 24, 1960 in Nambour, Queensland, Aus.Original/Home Club:
Beerwah GC, QueenslandOccupation:
Professional golfer; TV commentator; golf course designer.Turned Pro:
1979MAJORS (1): Open Championship (1991). Total professional wins (18), including Australasian Tour (11), Japan Tour (3), European Tour (2) and PGA Tour (2).
Baker-Finch's best known work includes, but is not limited to: Arabian Ranches, UAE (2001, with Nicklaus Design); Woodlands course, Bintan Lagoo, Indonesia (1997); Kennedy Bay, nr Perth, Aus (1998, with Michael Coate & Roger Mackay).
Baker-Finch began his professional career in style. In his first Australasian Tour event, the NZ Open, he recorded his first win. Regular wins on the Australasian Tour, with others in Europe, the US and Japan, culminated in his most memorable win at the 1991 Open Championship at Royal Birkdale.
Rather than his Open Championship victory being a springboard to further success, Baker-Finch's game went into a steady and accelerating decline over the next five years. An excellent game on the practice ground just refused to transfer to the golf course when it was needed. 50 great drives on the range would be followed by a snap-hook on the first tee. After shooting a 92 in the first round of the 1997 Open at Royal Troon, Baker-Finch quit tournament golf.
In place of grinding it out in tournaments, Baker-Finch has become a highly respected television broadcaster in the United States. He has also turned his hand to golf course design (IBF Design).
Aus/NZ
Ford
Played as the Ford Australian PGA Ch'ship. Won by Ian Baker-Finch (Aus). [Concord GC, Sydney, Aus].
Aus/NZ
x
Played as the Vines Classic (Jan 23-26; Aus Tr event). Second-placed Frank Nobilo (NZ) and Jeff Maggert (USA) finished 1 shot behind Ian Baker-Finch (Aus). [The Vines Resort & CC, nr Perth, Aus; composite of Lakes & Ellenbrook courses].
Majors
R&A
The Open Championship (120th) (July 18-21). Second-placed Mike Harwood (Aus) finished 2 shots behind first-time major championship winner Baker-Finch (Aus). [Royal Birkdale GC, Southport, Merseyside].
America
Southwestern Bell
Played as the Southwestern Bell Colonial (May 18-21). Second-placed David Edwards (USA) finished 4 shots behind 28-year-old Ian Baker-Finch (Aus), who recorded his first PGA Tour win. [Colonial CC, Ft Worth, TX].
Japan
Bridgestone
Played as the Bridgestone Aso Open (Japan Tr event). Second-placed Tadami Ueno (Jpn) finished 1 shot behind Baker-Finch (Aus). [Aso GC, Aso, Kumamoto].
Aus/NZ
x
Played as the Australian Masters. Won by Ian Baker-Finch (Aus).
Europe
Scandinavian Enterprise
Played as the Scandinavian Enterprise Open (Aug 1-4). Second-placed Graham Marsh (Aus) finished 2 shots behind Baker-Finch (Aus), who recorded the first of his two European Tour wins. [Ullna GC, Åkersberga, nr Stockholm, Sweden].
Aus/NZ
x
Played as the New Zealand Open (Nov 24-27). Second-placed Stuart Reese (NZ) finished 3 shots behind 23-year-old Baker-Finch (Aus), who recorded his first win as a professional. [Royal Auckland & Grange GC, Papatoetoe, Auckland; at the time known as Auckland GC, Middlemore].
124th US Open: the No.2 Course at Pinehurst once again plays host to this most illustrious championship (June 13-16). Wyndham Clark defends his title, having won at Los Angeles CC in 2023.
79th Women’s US Open: the second women’s major championship of the season gets underway at Lancaster CC in Pennsylvania. It’s the second time the championship has been held here.
(May 30-June 2).
Nelly Korda: won the Mizuho Americas Open (May 16-19) at Liberty National GC, continuing her extraordinary form in LPGA events. This was her sixth win in seven starts in 2024.
Xander Schauffele: recorded his first major championship win, and second record-equalling low score of 62 in a major. Only he, Branden Grace, Rickie Fowler and Shane Lowry have achieved this feat in a men’s major championship.
Marco Simone Golf & Country Club: With a clubhouse that might befit a Roman Emperor, and a golf course to match, you can be sure of a memorable outing at Rome's most talked about golf facility.
Jim Fazio's original layout was much changed to create a modern Ryder Cup course ... now one of the Eternal City's (and Italy's) most revered.
Here at Prince’s Golf Club you'll find 27 excellent holes of links golf. Just over the fence and sharing similar terrain is Royal St George’s; but Prince’s is far from overshadowed by its venerable neighbour. The three nine-hole loops at Prince's, laid out over gently undulating terrain, are sure to bring a smile of satisfaction to all lovers of links golf.
Stay&Play at Prince's: excellent onsite Lodge accommodation available
You can subscribe to the Where2Golf channel on YT if you like to see more video content. You'll find a "Subscribe" button on any of our YouTube videos. Or if you want a quick and direct access subscribe here. Once done, any new published videos will show up in your Subscriptions feed.
