Top 10 players to watch in 2011: No. 6 Russ Cochran

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There was no sophomore jinx for Russ Cochran.

Tee shot at Constellation Energy Senior Players Championship Wins the SAS Championship Talk to a pro

After a stellar rookie season in 2009, the lefthander took a step into the top tier of the Champions Tour. He finished fourth on the money list and fifth in the final Charles Schwab Cop standings.

The next step for Cochran in what is quickly becoming an outstanding Champions Tour career is to add a major to his portfolio.

Cochran came close this year with a tie for third at the Senior British Open at Carnoustie. At another major, the Constellation Energy Senior Players Championship, Cochran set a course record (6-under 64) at TPC Potomac at Avenel Farm in the second round. He tied for fifth there.

His high-water mark was successive victories on two continents. His breakthrough victory came at the inaugural Posco E&C Songdo Championship in South Korea, in a playoff against Fred Funk. Cochran won again in his next start at the SAS Championship in North Carolina, where he started fast and held off defending champion Tom Pernice.

With the double victories, Cochran joined Bernhard Langer, Fred Couples, Nick Price and Mark O'Meara as multiple winners in 2010, and also only the third golfer to win consecutive events. The others: Couples and Langer.

Cochran earned Rookie of the Year honors in 2009 despite starting the season as a conditionally exempt player. He didn't let the conditional status prevent him from having a big season (including a runner-up at the Charles Schwab Cup Championship) and he backed it up this year. There's nothing to suggest Cochran's Champions Tour career won't keep moving upward in 2010.

Starts 25 Schwab Cup pts. 1,818 (5th) Official money $1,754,003 (4th) Driving distance 283.1 yds. (16th) Greens in reg. 72.31% (11th) Putts per round 29.70 (T49th)