Nick Faldo: 1987 Open win gave me huge confidence

Nick Faldo spoke at the announcement event of the inaugural Duncan Taylor Black Bull Challenge, which will be held at the KGA course from March 23 to 26.

Published : Mar 21, 2023 20:47 IST , BENGALURU - 2 MINS READ

Golf legend Nick Faldo during press conference at Karnataka Golf Association in Bengaluru on Tuesday.
Golf legend Nick Faldo during press conference at Karnataka Golf Association in Bengaluru on Tuesday. | Photo Credit: SUDHAKARA JAIN / THE HINDU
infoIcon

Golf legend Nick Faldo during press conference at Karnataka Golf Association in Bengaluru on Tuesday. | Photo Credit: SUDHAKARA JAIN / THE HINDU

A six-time Major winner, Nick Faldo is regarded as the best British golfer of all time. For much of the early 1990s, Faldo dominated the sport, spending 97 weeks on top of the Official World Golf Ranking.

But things were tough in the early days of his career. In the mid 1980s, Faldo - frustrated at being unable to win a Major - took a big gamble by completely rebuilding his swing under instructor David Leadbetter.

Faldo had to start from scratch, and predictably, results did not go his way. It took nearly two years for the efforts of Faldo and Leadbetter to pay off.

Faldo finally broke the barrier at the 1987 Open Championship - his maiden Major triumph. Faldo entered the final day one shot behind American Paul Azinger, who was looking to win The Open Championship in his first attempt.

Britain’s Nick Faldo kisses the trophy after winning the 1987 Open Championship.
Britain’s Nick Faldo kisses the trophy after winning the 1987 Open Championship. | Photo Credit: THE HINDU ARCHIVES
lightbox-info

Britain’s Nick Faldo kisses the trophy after winning the 1987 Open Championship. | Photo Credit: THE HINDU ARCHIVES

The players were tested by treacherous conditions at Muirfield Golf Links in Gullane (Scotland). The course was covered by a thick layer of mist, leading to high scores.

Faldo’s new swing, however, came through with flying colours. The Englishman showed nerves of steel to make 18 straight pars, while Azinger’s game fell apart.

“The weather that day was unbelievable. The thick fog - I call it the Scottish pea soup fog. The golf ball was going nowhere, so we had to carefully judge what club to hit with. Good luck trying to make even a couple of pars, let alone eighteen,” Faldo said on Tuesday.

Faldo spoke at the announcement event of the inaugural Duncan Taylor Black Bull Challenge, which will be held at the KGA course from March 23 to 26.

“I was very nervous on that Sunday. It ended up being a historic day, and the start of my Major career. It was a great reward for changing my swing,” Faldo said.

There was no looking back from here for Faldo. He went on to win two more Open titles (1990 and 1992), three Masters (1989, 1990 and 1996), and was inducted to the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1997.

“That Open win gave me huge confidence. I kept fine tuning my game, and got better and better over the years,” Faldo said.

Sign in to unlock all user benefits
  • Get notified on top games and events
  • Save stories to read later
  • Access to comment on every story
  • Sign up / manage to our newsletters with a single click
  • Get notified by email for early bird access to discounts & offers to our products
Sign in

Comments

Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide to our community guidelines for posting your comment