One of the most successful golfers of all time, Britain’s Nick Faldo was arguably one of the most driven in his quest to reach the very top while in his prime.
His work ethic came straight out of the Ben Hogan manual and he piled up 30 European Tour titles, including six majors, before effectively ending his playing days in 2006 to embark on a new career as a television golf analyst.
He has since gone on to captain the European Ryder Cup team and, in one of his proudest moments, learned on Friday that he would receive a knighthood in the Queen’s Birthday Honors List.
“I believe I join Sir Henry Cotton as the only other professional British golfer to receive a knighthood, so to stand alongside such esteemed company is incredible,” Faldo, 51, said in a statement.
Fellow Englishman Cotton, who won three British Opens, was knighted in the New Year’s Day Honors of 1988, shortly after his death in December 1987.
Former world No. 1 Faldo was among the most successful British sportsmen over the last half-century, single-mindedly dedicating himself to becoming golf’s top player.
He became world No. 1 for the first time in September 1990 and stayed there for 98 weeks.
Despite having won 11 times on the European circuit by the end of 1984, along with a maiden USPGA Tour title at the Heritage Classic that same year, he decided to remodel his swing with coach David Leadbetter to reach a higher level.
The move eventually reaped dividends when he hoisted the first of his three British Open trophies at Muirfield in 1987, famously parring all 18 holes in the final round.
Faldo won his first Masters title in 1989 and followed up with victories at the Masters and the British Open at St Andrews in 1990.
He completed a hat-trick of British Open wins at Muirfield in 1992, when he beat American John Cook by a stroke.
Faldo’s sixth and final major success came at the 1996 Masters, where he trailed Australia’s Greg Norman by six shots going into the final round but won by five after closing with a 67 to Norman’s 78.
The Englishman recorded his ninth PGA Tour victory at the 1997 Nissan Open in Los Angeles, the last individual title he won.
Twelve days after winning her second Grand Slam title at the French Open, Coco Gauff fell at the first hurdle on grass in Berlin on Thursday as beaten Paris finalist Aryna Sabalenka advanced to the quarter-finals. Recipient of a first round bye, American Gauff lost 6-3, 6-3 to Chinese qualifier Wang Xinyu as world number one Sabalenka beat Rebeka Masarova 6-2, 7-6 (8/6) in her second round tie. Winner of 10 main tour titles, including the US Open in 2023 and the WTA Finals last year, Gauff has yet to lift a trophy in a grass-court tournament. “After I won the first
Lionel Messi drew vast crowds and showed flashes of his brilliance when his Inter Miami side were held to a goalless draw by African giants Al-Ahly as the revamped FIFA Club World Cup got off to a festive start on Saturday. Fans showed up en masse for the Group A clash at the Hard Rock Stadium, home to the NFL’s Miami Dolphins, but Messi could not fully deliver, his best chance coming through a last-second attempt that was deflected onto the crossbar. Inter Miami next face FC Porto on Thursday in Atlanta, while Al-Ahly, who benefited from raucous, massive support, are to
Sergio Ramos on Tuesday outfoxed two Inter players and artfully headed home the first goal for Monterrey at the FIFA Club World Cup. The 39-year-old Ramos slipped through the penalty area for the score just as he did for so many years in the shirts of Real Madrid and Spain’s national team, with whom he combined smarts, timing and physicality. Ramos’ clever goal and his overall defensive play at the Rose Bowl were major factors in Monterrey’s impressive 1-1 draw against the UEFA Champions League finalists in the clubs’ first match of the tournament. “There is always a joy to contribute to the
Aaron Civale got a little wild in the right-hander’s first start for the Chicago White Sox two days after he was traded by the Milwaukee Brewers. Civale on Sunday walked four of the first seven hitters he faced in a 2-1 loss to the Texas Rangers. The 30-year-old finished with four walks, one off his career high, while allowing six hits and two runs in five innings. He threw 65 strikes and 39 balls. Chicago trailed 2-1 when he was replaced by Dan Altavilla to start the sixth. “Not the cleanest,” Civale said. “It’s been a whirlwind of a week. First couple
RSS