- News>
- Golf
Faldo torn between British Open and birth of fourth child
Sandwich, July 1: Nick Faldo is facing a tricky dilemma this week -- attend the birth of his fourth child or challenge for his fourth British Open title.
Sandwich, July 1: Nick Faldo is facing a tricky dilemma this week -- attend the birth of his fourth child or challenge for his fourth British Open title.
It's a conundrum to test anyone, let alone a man as driven in his sport as the Briton who briefly dominated golf in the late 1980s and early '90s.
A relaxed Faldo was happy to joke at a news conference at Royal St George's on Tuesday about the nightmare scenario on Sunday morning, that he should be well clear of the field when the phone goes to tell him his wife Valerie is about to give birth.
"Come on, give me the scenario -- six shots lead, six shots, and the phone goes," said Faldo, who will be 46 on Friday. "I've been told to stay and play. That would be good, though. I'd like to be in that position and see what happens, that would test me.
"Seriously, everything is going well with Valerie. So I've just told her to sit still. I don't want her jumping around or going out and mowing the lawn or anything. Don't even put the telly on -- I wouldn't."
Faldo has not seriously contended for a major since his dramatic U.S. Masters win of 1996 when he profited from a Greg Norman collapse to collect his third green jacket.
That took his majors tally to six and Faldo concedes that a bone-dry course at Sandwich with its accent on shot-making rather than power gives him a better chance than usual of adding to it.
"You never know, I feel good at the moment. I've played well this morning and dusted off the youngsters I was with (Justin Rose and Ian Poulter) which was nice.
"And I'm enjoying it out there. The way the course is set up you've just got to play with your imagination. You've got to know those slopes.
"I wouldn't be here if I didn't think I could win another one. Obviously the odds are slimmer now but you never know...that's the great thing about this game."
Bureau Report
It's a conundrum to test anyone, let alone a man as driven in his sport as the Briton who briefly dominated golf in the late 1980s and early '90s.
A relaxed Faldo was happy to joke at a news conference at Royal St George's on Tuesday about the nightmare scenario on Sunday morning, that he should be well clear of the field when the phone goes to tell him his wife Valerie is about to give birth.
"Come on, give me the scenario -- six shots lead, six shots, and the phone goes," said Faldo, who will be 46 on Friday. "I've been told to stay and play. That would be good, though. I'd like to be in that position and see what happens, that would test me.
"Seriously, everything is going well with Valerie. So I've just told her to sit still. I don't want her jumping around or going out and mowing the lawn or anything. Don't even put the telly on -- I wouldn't."
Faldo has not seriously contended for a major since his dramatic U.S. Masters win of 1996 when he profited from a Greg Norman collapse to collect his third green jacket.
That took his majors tally to six and Faldo concedes that a bone-dry course at Sandwich with its accent on shot-making rather than power gives him a better chance than usual of adding to it.
"You never know, I feel good at the moment. I've played well this morning and dusted off the youngsters I was with (Justin Rose and Ian Poulter) which was nice.
"And I'm enjoying it out there. The way the course is set up you've just got to play with your imagination. You've got to know those slopes.
"I wouldn't be here if I didn't think I could win another one. Obviously the odds are slimmer now but you never know...that's the great thing about this game."
Bureau Report