A professional for over quarter of a century, ‘Coops’ enjoyed a long and fruitful career on The European Tour before becoming a Tournament Director on the European Seniors Tour in 2000. This entertaining Lancastrian turned 50 in May 2005 and swapped his tournament buggy for golf clubs on two occasions, playing in the Ryder Cup Wales Seniors Open and The Senior British Open Championship, presented by Aberdeen Asset Management, at Royal Aberdeen GC. Made headlines in Scotland when he set a new record for the newly-lengthened Balgownie Links with a third round of seven under par 64, a score equaled later in the day by Tom Watson, the eventual winner. He won once on The European Tour in the 1988 Cepsa Madrid Open, and kept his card for 16 years from 1984. His most successful season came in 1989 when he finished 19th on the Order of Merit, helped by a second place finish at the Benson & Hedges International Open at Fulford. He served on the PGA European Tour’s Board of Directors for seven years from 1998 and was part of the backroom team in The Ryder Cup Matches in 1999 and 2002. Qualified as a PGA professional in 1974 and has broken 60 twice in his career. Used to own a sandwich shop called ‘Coop’s Crusty Cobs.’ Picked up a passion for motorbikes in his early 40s and competed in the 1998 King Hassan II Trophy just ten days after having crashed in a track meeting, where he broke his ribs and was knocked unconscious.