Nick Faldo
will celebrate his 46th birthday on Friday. Itís appropriate that
the the former golden boy of British golf marks off another year
of his life while playing in the British Open
Faldo has not won since the 1997 Nissan Open in Los Angeles. His
last major came in the 1996 Masters when Greg Norman suffered his monumental
collapse and Faldo played like the he was 15 years younger.
Faldo still performs well playing a limited schedule, especially
tee to green, and on occasion gets into contention when his putting
is true, as he did last year in the U.S. Open at Bethpage Black.
In 2003, he has had a couple of top-10 finishes, including a tie
for second in the Heineken Classic.
As Faldo has aged, he also has mellowed, with both fans and especially
the media. When he was his heyday, Faldo was remote, focused and stone-faced
on the course. The mechanical man, more Hogan than Hogan himself. In
the press tent, his relationship with the media was adversarial at
best.
Once after a victory he
thanked the press "from the heart of my bottom."
Of course, the press, particularly the British press, was harsh in
its treatment of Faldo. Much was expected of him as the English lion
who would replace the last great English player, Tony Jacklin.
Faldo showed early promise in the British Open, placing joint seventh
in 1977 when he was only 20. Over the next 10 years, Faldo rang up
four more top-10s in the Open Championship and only once placed outside
the top 18.
But he had not won, and
the British press took to calling him "Foldo" after
his near misses.
In he finally broke through
for the title in ë87 and followed with
victories in 1990 and '92. When Greg Norman won at Royal St. George's
in 1993, Faldo took solo second.
On Tuesday, Faldo spent
considerable time with the media discussing the tournament, his work
with junior golf, the upcoming birth of another
child, his modest falling out with the English Ladies Golf Association
(Faldo suggests settling the matter with "Louis Vuittons at 20 paces.").
Whatever subject was raised Faldo answered with insight and the humor
that has served him so well over the past few years.
This will be his fourth Open Championship at Royal St. George's,
the first having come in 1981 when Texan Bill Rogers claimed the Claret
Jug.
"I must be getting old," Faldo joked. "I
can't remember 1981.
"I've always enjoyed playing
here. They must be delighted with the way the course is set up. It's
a real true links. So I think it's really
great, we've got this variety on the tour. Out of the four majors,
this really is something different. So I think it's so far set up really
well."
With the course playing hard, fast and quirky, Faldo also thinks
European players might be the beneficiaries.
"I'm not going to put in any names," he said, "but
I think this year's a good year, the way the course is set up, to
give home players or
European players a really good chance."
One of the "home" players
he did not name is himself.
"Oh, you never know," he said of his chances. "I
feel good at the moment. I've played well this morning, and dusted
off the youngsters,
which was very nice for my pocket. And I'm enjoying it out there.
"The way the course is
set up you've just got to play really with imagination. Exactly as
I say, you've got to know these slopes. If
you hit the shots and get rewarded because you've done your homework,
then it makes you feel good, and keeps the score going, as well. I
think that helps."
Faldo and wife Valerie are expecting their first child and Faldo's
fourth at some point over the next two weeks. Naturally, that brought
up the question of what would Faldo do is he is in contention and Valerie
enters the hospital.
"Technically it's due about 10 days after the Open, but it's all
progressing normally," Faldo said. "I don't want her jumping around
and going out mowing the lawn or anything."
And if Faldo is in the hunt?
"Very still. Don't even
put the tele on, I wouldn't."
And if Faldo had the lead on Sunday morning?
"Come on, give me a scenario -- six shots lead, six shots and the
phone goes," he laughed.
"I've been told to stay
and play. That would be good. I'd like to be in that position and
see what happens. That would test me."
Lots of golf fans would like to see that happen too. What better
story than the aging lion making one more bid for glory?
