Q&A
Nick Faldo
NICK FALDO didn’t take up golf until just shy of his 14th birthday after watching the 1971 Masters on television. From those humble beginnings in England the only child went on to win six major championships and become the most successful Ryder Cup player ever on his way to earning a spot in the World Golf Hall of Fame. No one was better than Faldo
in the late 1980s and early 1990s. He sat atop the offi cial world golf ranking for 97 weeks, the longest streak behind only Greg Norman and Tiger Woods in the 23-year history of the ranking. Three Masters victories
and three British Open championships coupled with second place fi nishes in the PGA Championship and U.S. Open marked the pinnacle of a decorated playing career hallmarked by an all-consuming focus and ability to excel under pressure. That focus has led to many
off-course successes and a spot as the lead golf analyst for CBS. Not always a media favorite during his playing days, the 52- year old was relaxed, open and polite when he sat down with NCGA Golf in the CBS trailer during the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am. –Hilary Heieck
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR
GOLF GAME TODAY? It’s very diffi cult to fi nd the right adjective for my game today. We always use the word rusty but it’s non-existent at times. I played this week at Cypress Point and it was the fi rst time I played in three months. But I played yesterday with the guys at Fort Ord—much better, won the money so it was a happy day. It’s very rusty; I practice one
percent of what I used to practice. So what do you expect? I will play the British Open again at St. Andrews; it has been 20 years since I won there but that’s about it. I’m quite happy with announcing and design work and family time; that is is enough for me.
BETWEEN YOUR TV RESPONSIBILITIES AND FALDO DESIGN AND OTHER BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES HOW MANY DAYS ARE YOU ON THE ROAD? I’ve got
19 television commitments this year which is less than last year when it was 27 which was too much. I do well; I’ve got a six-month job. I work for six months and then have six months to myself just about. That’s a good life.
TALK ABOUT RALLYING FROM SIX SHOTS DOWN TO WIN THE 1996 MASTERS.
It was an interesting day. I left the course Saturday and did all the inter- views and you’ve got to say, “Yeah, it’s no problem being six back.” Then
48 NCGA Golf SPRING 2010
I went back and thought about it and if I have a game plan and can get within three after nine then we’ve seen it before. Three shots is noth- ing at Augusta. It kind of all went to plan. I managed to get within three after nine, and we all know what was happening to Greg Norman, but you still have to fi nish it off. That was a time in my career when I didn’t have the natural self-belief. So I had to will myself through the shots. Mentally it was one of the best
rounds I’ve ever played because I was having negatives, thinking the wheels were going to come off somewhere. I kept thinking, “No, come on.” I had to walk myself through the whole process of hitting a golf shot each time. Because you have to do that at Augusta. If you fall asleep on one shot, you will pay for it and that will scare you. And I believe that’s how the process starts of playing badly there. For me, to keep digging in and making each shot happen one at a time made it a really special day. It was nice for me that people remember that day, even non-golfers. In sporting terms people will say, “I watched the ’96 Masters with you and Greg,” and so that’s pretty cool.
DO YOU FEEL YOUR FINAL-ROUND 67 AT AUGUSTA IS OVERLOOKED BECAUSE OF NORMAN’S COLLAPSE? In the golf
world, no. People recognize that I
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