Welsh · Oswestry, Shropshire, England · Born 2 March 1958Welsh professional golfer who reached world No.1 in 1991 and remains one of Europe's most successful Ryder Cup players.
Ian Woosnam won the 1991 Masters and held the world number one ranking for 50 consecutive weeks, overcoming the doubts of those who believed his 5-foot-4-inch frame was a disadvantage in a sport increasingly driven by power, and went on to win 29 European Tour titles — the sixth-most in the competition's history. Woosnam, nicknamed "Woosie" despite standing just 5 feet 4 inches, spent his early professional years driving around Europe in a camper van and living on a diet of baked beans to save money, before his career took off in 1982 with victory at the Swiss Open. Woosnam won the European Tour Order of Merit in both 1987 and 1990, and reached the pinnacle of his career in 1991, winning the Masters Tournament and reaching the world No. 1 ranking, which he held for 50 consecutive weeks — part of the celebrated "Big Five" generation of European golfers alongside Seve Ballesteros, Nick Faldo, Bernhard Langer, and Sandy Lyle who transformed the Ryder Cup into a genuine contest. Woosnam won 29 European Tour titles, the sixth-most in the tour's history, and was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2017, closing out a career of 52 worldwide victories that established him as one of Wales's greatest golfing exports.
1991 Masters champion, former World No.1
How They Played
Powerful driver despite short stature, excellent short game
Lasting Impact
One of the 'Big Five' European golfers who revolutionized the game in the 1980s-90s
Career Honours
- Masters Tournament 1991
- World No.1 1991
- 29 European Tour wins