12 Things You Didn't Know About Wayne Riley

Take a look at these 12 facts on the charismatic Australian commentator.

Things You Didn't Know About Wayne Riley
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Take a look at these 12 facts on the charismatic Australian commentator.

12 Things You Didn't Know About Wayne Riley

One of the key members of Sky Sports golf coverage, Wayne 'Radar' Riley provides some of the best on-course commentary around, using his playing career and his trademark humour to add to the coverage.

Here are 12 things you didn't already know about him.

12 Things You Didn't Know About Wayne Riley

1. Riley was born in Sydney on the 17th of September 1962. Just 15 years later, he turned professional.

2. He first plied his trade on the PGA Tour of Australasia where he won four times. The biggest win came during the 1991 Australian Open.

3. In 1984 Riley progressed through the European Tour's Q-School and then had to wait 11 years to pick up his first win which came at the 1995 Scottish Open. He managed to win by one stroke from former world number one Nick Faldo.

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4. His only other win on the European Tour came at the 1996 Portuguese Open.

5. He turned professional off of plus 2.

6. Riley played in 11 Major championships (ten Opens and one US Open). His best result was a tied 33rd which came in the 1985 Open Championship hosted at Royal St George's, which was won by Sandy Lyle. Had it not been for a third round 77, Riley could have been a lot further up the leaderboard and in with a shout on the final day.

7. He started working with Sky in 2005 after his offbeat candid style of on-course commentary gained attention in Australia and later on, Europe.

8. Riley regularly plays against fellow Ping professionals in a YouTube series called 'A Round With Radar'. In that series he has played against players like Lee Westwood, Tyrrell Hatton, Brandon Stone, Louis Oosthuizen, Andy Sullivan and Matt Wallace.

9. He has picked up the nickname 'Radar' after the character Radar O'Reilly from M.A.S.H.

10. According to his player biography on the European Tour website he is a Chelsea fan.

11. He has four children called James (1991), Shannon (1994), Bonnie (1996), Joseph (2001).

12. In the past he has admitted to having a phobia of flying.

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Sam Tremlett
E-commerce Editor

A golfer for most of his life, Sam is a Senior Staff Writer for Golf Monthly. 

Working with golf gear and equipment over the last six years, Sam has quickly built outstanding knowledge and expertise on golf products ranging from drivers, to balls, to shoes. 

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Sam's What's In The Bag: 

Driver: Titleist TS3 (9 degrees) 

Fairway Wood: Callaway Paradym (15 degrees), Nike Covert Tour 2.0 (19 degrees) 

Irons (4-PW): Titleist AP2 

Wedges: Titleist Vokey SM7 54˚, 58˚ 

Putter: Scotty Cameron Phantom X 5.5 

Ball: Srixon Z-Star Diamond

Shoes: G/FORE Gallivanter/Nike Air Zoom Infinity NEXT%/Cuater The Ringer