Top coach Bob Torrance dies
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Bob Torrance, one of the world’s leading golf coaches and father of winning Ryder Cup captain Sam, has died following a lengthy illness at the age of 82.
Torrance (seen on the right with Padraig Harrington and Bob Rotella) helped Irishman Padraig Harrington win two Open Championships in 2007 and 2008 and the PGA Championship in 2008. He also coached several other leading Tour players and was one of the few coaches who was given the opportunity to spend a few days at the Texas home of the legendary Ben Hogan.
He could regularly be seen on the practice ground at major Tour events but was equally at home on his home range at Largs in south Ayrshire where TG interviewed him a few years back.
His son, Sam, a multiple European Tour winner and Captain of the winning European Ryder Cup team in 2002, announced his father’s death on Twitter. He wrote: “Sad day – my dad just passed away peacefully in his sleep.”
Torrance, who Harrington once described as “the best coach in the world”, had been battling cancer.
European Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley, who was coached by Torrance for over 20 years, said: “This is an incredibly sad day as we have lost one of life’s, as well as one of golf’s, really true characters and my thoughts are obviously with June and Sam at this difficult time.
“I feel blessed to have known Bob for many years and to have had him as my coach since 1992. Not only was he a world class golf coach, a fact recognised right across the game, but he was also one of my very favourite people in life. I will dearly miss his teaching and his wit.
“I feel very fortunate that I got the chance to say goodbye to him in person last week when I drove down to his home at Largs during the Scottish Open at Royal Aberdeen. Despite his obvious ill health, he still retained his fantastic sense of humour and love of golf and the memory of that afternoon will stay with me.”
