A professional golfer is somebody who receives payments or financial rewards in the sport of golf that are directly related to their skill or reputation. A person who earns money by teaching or playing golf is traditionally considered a "golf pro", most of whom are teachers/coaches. The professional golfer status is reserved for people who play, rather than teach, golf for a career.
115-664: Sir Nicholas Alexander Faldo (born 18 July 1957) is an English retired professional golfer and television commentator. Widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time, he was renowned for his dedication to the game, and was ranked No. 1 on the Official World Golf Ranking for a total of 97 weeks. His 41 professional wins include 30 victories on the European Tour and six major championships : three Open Championships (1987, 1990, 1992) and three Masters (1989, 1990, 1996). Faldo has since become
230-521: A broadcaster for ABC Sports ' PGA Tour coverage, where he worked from 2004 to 2006 alongside former playing rival Paul Azinger and host Mike Tirico . While never considered to be a particularly charismatic player, Faldo surprised many fans with his dry, British wit and insightful commentary as part of the ABC team. The trio garnered many positive reviews, with Faldo and Azinger often exchanging verbal barbs and engaging in humorous banter. On 3 October 2006, it
345-488: A competition in 1860, "to be played for by professional golfers", and to decide who would succeed Robertson as the "Champion Golfer". Blackheath (England), Perth , Bruntsfield (Edinburgh), Musselburgh and St Andrews golf clubs were invited to send up to three of their best players known as a "respectable caddie" to represent each of the clubs. The winner received the Challenge Belt, made from red leather with
460-403: A day after his 30th birthday. He holed a five-foot putt on the final hole for his 18th consecutive par. Faldo later said: "I knew I'd do it. And I knew I had to do it." Highlighting a bunker shot on the 8th hole as a key shot of his final round, Faldo said: "The one at 8 was fantastic, a 35-yard shot and I knocked it to three feet." At the 1988 U.S. Open, Faldo ended 72 holes of regulation play in
575-422: A feel similar to the current tournament, with the leaders after 36 holes going off last (1957 onwards), all players having to use the "bigger ball" (1974 onwards), play spread over four days (1966 onwards, although the days were Wednesday to Saturday until 1980), and a field containing all the world's best players. American Tom Watson won in 1975. Turnberry hosted for the first time in 1977, and Watson won
690-401: A few days' work caddying for the wealthier gentlemen. Willie Park, Sr. went on to win two more tournaments, and Old Tom Morris three more, before Young Tom Morris won three consecutive titles between 1868 and 1870. The rules stated that he was allowed to keep the belt for achieving this feat. Because no trophy was available, the tournament was not held in 1871. On 11 September 1872 agreement
805-423: A foot past the hole. How can you say I hit it too hard?" The following month, Faldo won his second Open Championship at St Andrews , Scotland, by five shots, becoming the first golfer since Tom Watson in 1982 to win two majors in the same year. Faldo won the famous Claret Jug trophy for a third time in the 1992 Open Championship at Muirfield. Faldo's first two rounds of 66-64 for a 36-hole total of 130 broke
920-752: A high position in the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR). Five amateurs are also exempt from qualifying by winning various global amateur titles provided they maintain their amateur status prior to The Open. Another way of qualifying is to finish in a high position in the Open Qualifying Series of global events, which are about twelve tour events across the globe, run by various local golfing organisations. Any male professional golfer, male amateur golfer whose playing handicap does not exceed 0.4 (i.e. scratch) or has been within World Amateur Golf Ranking listing 1–2,000 during
1035-403: A living solely from playing tournament golf until some way into the 20th century ( Walter Hagen is sometimes considered to have been the first man to have done so). In the developed world, the class distinction is now almost entirely irrelevant. Golf is affordable at public courses to a large portion of the population, and most golf professionals are from middle-class backgrounds, which are often
1150-588: A major championship. After 2005, Faldo's appearances in professional tournaments became increasingly sporadic. In 2006, apart from appearances in the Masters and at the Open Championship, Faldo played in only two other events on the European Tour that year. In the first half of 2007, Faldo did not appear in any regular tour events. He did play in the 2007 Open at Carnoustie, missing the cut. In his first Champions Tour event, he finished tied for 14th in
1265-474: A moderate 1995 season , but in April 1996 he won a famous victory at Augusta to collect his sixth and final major championship. Faldo went into the final round at the 1996 Masters trailing Greg Norman by six shots, but was the beneficiary of an infamous Sunday collapse at Augusta by Norman; Faldo shot a 67 to win by five over Norman, who struggled mightily en route to a 78. Though this is commonly remembered as
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#17327799625881380-650: A number of faults". After a series of setbacks, Faldo's efforts paid off in May 1987, when he won the Peugeot Spanish Open , his first European Tour victory since 1984 (Faldo later said the win was a "major turning point," which restored his confidence). Two months later, in July 1987, Faldo claimed his first major title at The Open Championship at Muirfield. After rounds of 68 (-3) and 69 (-2), Faldo emerged through stormy conditions with an even-par 71, thus entering
1495-399: A particularly powerful player for a tall man, Faldo's strengths included his distance control, course management and his strong competitive mind. His intense dedication to the game meant that he attended to every detail in the golf swing. Gary Player said of Faldo: "He had a work ethic that was quite unbelievable." After Faldo changed his swing in the mid-1980s, his methodical style gave him
1610-462: A prevailing onshore breeze, changes in the wind direction and strength over the course of the tournament can mean each round of golf has to be played slightly differently. The courses are also famous for deep pot bunkers, and gorse bushes that make up the "rough". A golfer playing on a links course will often adapt his game so the flight of the ball is lower and so is less impacted by the wind, but this will make distance control more difficult. Also due to
1725-575: A professional may not play in amateur tournaments unless the Committee is notified, acknowledges and confirms the participation. It is very difficult for a professional to regain their amateur status; simply agreeing not to take payment for a particular tournament is not enough. A player must apply to the governing body of the sport to have amateur status reinstated. Historically, the distinction between amateur and professional golfers had much to do with social class . In 18th and 19th century Britain, golf
1840-511: A representative of the R&;A openly stated that it is a priority to "eradicate the term British Open" and have a single identity and brand of "The Open" in all countries. Tournament partners, such as the PGA Tour , now refer to it without "British" in the title, media rightsholders are contractually required to refer to the event as The Open Championship, and the official website has released
1955-412: A reputation for being one of the game's more conservative players. However, Faldo did shoot some spectacular rounds of golf at the height of his career. For three consecutive Open Championships between 1992 and 1994, Faldo carded one round of fewer than 65 strokes in each of the three Opens, shooting a 64 at Muirfield in 1992, a 63 at Royal St George's in 1993, and a 64 at Turnberry in 1994. Faldo also had
2070-428: A reputation of having an intense focus and not being engaged in too many social courtesies. In 1998, Faldo's partnership with David Leadbetter came to an end when Faldo dispensed with his services by post in a letter. In 2003, Leadbetter said of Faldo: "He wasn't the most popular guy with all the players, that's for sure. He didn't go out to win friends and influence people. Very seldom does he call people by name. He
2185-469: A short putt in 1989, Raymond Floyd hitting into a pond in 1990 and from a collapse by Greg Norman in 1996. Two of Faldo's Open Championship wins came after mistakes in the closing two holes by Paul Azinger in 1987 and John Cook in 1992. His Open Championship in 1990 was effectively decided when Norman shot 76 to his 67 in the 3rd round. Nevertheless, Faldo earns credit for the way in which he performed under pressure in his major victories. Although not
2300-458: A silver buckle and worth £25, which came about thanks to being donated by the Earl of Eglinton , a man with a keen interest in medieval pageantry (belts were the type of trophy that might have been competed for in archery or jousting). The first rule of the new golf competition was "The party winning the belt shall always leave the belt with the treasurer of the club until he produces a guarantee to
2415-761: A span between 1896 and 1914, has had more major victories than Faldo. Other than Vardon, only one golfer from outside the United States ( Gary Player from South Africa) has won more majors than Faldo. Faldo was named the PGA Tour Player of the Year in 1990 and the European Tour Player of the Year in 1989, 1990 and 1992, and has won 29 European Tour titles. While his professional tournament wins (40) pale in quantity to that of contemporaries Greg Norman , Seve Ballesteros , and Bernhard Langer ,
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#17327799625882530-486: A spectacular final round of 64. Throughout the early 1990s, Faldo remained a European Tour player while also visiting America regularly and playing events around the world, but in 1995 he decided to concentrate on playing on the U.S. PGA Tour, as his priority was to win further major championships (and three out of the four majors are played in the United States). At first this strategy didn't seem to work, as he had
2645-547: A statement titled "Why it's called 'The Open' and not the 'British Open'" stating that "The Open is the correct name for the Championship. It is also the most appropriate". The R&A's stance has attracted criticism from some commentators. The R&A also run The Senior Open , the over 50s equivalent of the Open, which was officially known as the "Senior British Open" from its inception in 1987 until 2007, when "British"
2760-590: A television commentator for major golf championships. In 2006, he became the lead golf analyst for CBS Sports . In 2012, Faldo joined the BBC Sport on-air team for coverage of the Open Championship. Faldo was born in Welwyn Garden City , Hertfordshire , England , in 1957, as the only child of Joyce and George Faldo, an accountant at Imperial Chemical Industries . Responding to suggestions that Faldo might be an Italian surname, George Faldo stated it
2875-416: A tie for the lead with Curtis Strange . Faldo's even-par fourth round of 71 started with 14 consecutive pars. A birdie on the 15th hole gave him a share of the lead with Strange. However, on the 16th hole Faldo found himself with a difficult bunker shot to play. After backing away from his bunker shot to scold some photographers for talking, Faldo made his lone bogey. Strange dropped a shot on the 17th to leave
2990-433: A total of 97 weeks altogether at the top of the Official World Golf Ranking , an achievement surpassed by only one other competitor, Greg Norman, during the decade of the 1990s. His total of six professional major tournament wins were more than any other player in the world from 1987 through 1996. ( Nick Price was second with three major victories during this period; Seve Ballesteros won five majors from 1979 to 1988). Faldo
3105-502: A year. It used to be the responsibility of the winner to get his name engraved on the trophy, but 1967 winner Roberto De Vicenzo returned the trophy without having done so. Subsequently, the winner's name is already engraved on it when presented, which often results in television commentators speculating as to when it is safe for the engraver to start. "You know to have dreams, to have things that you think are unattainable, if you give up on them, what’s left? I am immensely proud my name
3220-482: Is also an official event on the Japan Golf Tour . Qualifying was introduced in 1907, and for much of its history, all players had to go through the qualification process. In the modern era, the majority of players get an exemption from qualification which is awarded for previous performance in the Open, performance in high-profile global tournaments (such as other majors ), performance in top golf tours , or
3335-498: Is going to beat me then I'm going to make sure they've worked for their victory. Let them come and get it from me." That year, he had worldwide earnings of £1,558,978, breaking the existing record. In July 1993, Faldo won the Carroll's Irish Open for an unprecedented third time in a row. Starting his final round four shots behind José María Olazábal , Faldo's fourth round of 65 enabled him to tie over 72 holes with Olazábal. Faldo won
3450-593: Is named "the Champion Golfer of the Year", a title that dates to the first Open in 1860, and receives the Claret Jug , a trophy first awarded in 1872. The reigning champion is American Xander Schauffele , who won the 2024 Open at Royal Troon Golf Club with a score of 275. The first Open Championship was played on 17 October 1860 at Prestwick Golf Club in Ayrshire , Scotland , over three rounds of
3565-552: Is of English origin, and had traced it to a 13th-century Knight in Bedford . Faldo "became hooked" on golf at age 14 — having never "even picked up a golf club" himself, watching Jack Nicklaus play the 1971 Masters on his parents' new colour television (his first exposure to the game). Faldo qualified to play in the 1974 English Amateur at Woodhall Spa . In 1975, he won both the English Amateur at Royal Lytham and
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3680-608: Is on that Claret Jug." —2011 Open winner Darren Clarke on fulfilling a lifelong ambition. The winner of the Open is announced as "The Champion Golfer of the Year", a title which has been used since the first Open in 1860. He will nearly always pose for photos with the trophy sitting on one of the distinctive pot bunkers. Three-time winner Jack Nicklaus said holding the Claret Jug was like holding "a newborn baby", and on other players putting champagne or other drinks inside it to celebrate their Open win, he said "I never used
3795-662: Is one of the most successful Ryder Cup players ever, having won 25 points and having represented the European Team a record 11 times. He played a key role in making Europe competitive in the event. Having won 23 of his matches, lost 19, and halved 4, he also holds the European record for having played the most Ryder Cup matches. Former Walker Cup captain Peter McEvoy said of Faldo: "He is a leading contender to be Britain's finest ever sportsman in an individual sport. He
3910-432: Is recognised as one of the four major championships in golf, and is an official event on the PGA Tour , European Tour , and the Japan Golf Tour . The Open began in 1860, and for many years it was not the most-followed event in golf, as challenge matches between top golfers were more keenly followed and drew larger crowds. The Great Triumvirate dominated the Open between 1894 and 1914 and were primarily responsible for
4025-669: Is the case in countries like the United States and the United Kingdom. Professional golfers from these countries are quite often from poor backgrounds and start their careers as caddies, for example, Ángel Cabrera of Argentina , and Zhang Lian-wei , who is the first significant tournament professional from the People's Republic of China . In various countries, Professional Golfers' Associations (PGAs) serve either or both of these categories of professionals. There are separate LPGAs (Ladies Professional Golf Associations) for women. Under
4140-831: Is the gold standard from which the rest of modern British golf has to be judged." In 2003, PGA chief executive Sandy Jones said of Faldo's career: "His career achievements position him as Britain's best golfer of all time. But it is his dedication and commitment to the game which really sets him apart." The careers of Faldo and his archrival for many years, Greg Norman , were profiled by Golf World magazine: "Norman has played and won more events: 87–43; however, Faldo has won more U.S. and European tour titles: 36–34. Norman has won more money; Faldo has won more majors: 6–2. Norman has won more friends, Faldo more admirers; Norman had more women, Faldo had more fast cars." Faldo's remarkable composure under pressure and intimidating presence were hallmarks of his game. His final round of 18 consecutive pars at
4255-590: The 1987 Open Championship was an example of steady play under pressure. BBC commentator Peter Alliss suggested that much of the flair in Faldo's game was lost in the mid-1980s when he remodelled his swing. Alliss said: "Faldo had cut out the excitement, but he had also eradicated the mistakes." It's been suggested that during his career Faldo wore down the opposition and benefited from other players making mistakes in pressure-filled situations. His three Masters titles at Augusta came after mistakes by Scott Hoch missing
4370-543: The 2012 Open , instead joining the BBC Sport commentary team for the event. Faldo competed at the 2013 Open at Muirfield. He missed the cut. Faldo decided to make the 2015 Open at St Andrews his final Open Championship appearance. As of January 2015, Faldo's career European Tour earnings are just over €8 million, and his U.S. PGA Tour earnings are over $ 5 million. Faldo has won more major golf championships than any player from Europe since World War I. Only one European golfer, Harry Vardon , who won seven majors in
4485-726: The British Youths Open Amateur Championship . His successes came too late to gain a Walker Cup place that year, the match being played in late May with the team selected in November 1974. He represented Great Britain in the Commonwealth Tournament in South Africa in November 1975. Faldo describes his late discovery of golf enthusiastically, saying that he "love[d] school, until golf came along"—after which "the only thing [he]
4600-404: The Claret Jug , which has been presented to the champion since 1873 (it was first awarded to Young Tom Morris in 1872, however the trophy was not ready in time—his name is the first to be engraved on it). The original trophy permanently resides on display in the R&A's Clubhouse at St Andrews. Therefore, the trophy that is presented at each Open is a replica which is retained by the winner for
4715-471: The Senior British Open . Faldo did not take part in the 2008 Open at Royal Birkdale. It was the first time he had not taken part in the competition since failing to qualify as an amateur in 1975. He entered in 2009 at Turnberry and 2010 at St Andrews, but missed the 36-hole cut at both. Faldo opted not to take part in the 2011 Open at Royal St George's. He also decided not to compete in
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4830-510: The U.S. Open , and later many others. To distinguish it from their own national open, it became common in many countries to refer to the tournament as the "British Open". The R&A (the tournament's organiser) continued to refer to it as The Open Championship. During the interwar years , a period with many U.S.-based winners, the term British Open would occasionally be used during the trophy presentation and in British newspapers. In 2017,
4945-434: The "Triple Crown". His achievement was so well regarded he returned to New York City to a ticker-tape parade. Peter Thomson became the first Australian winner, winning four times in five years between 1954 and 1958, and later winning a fifth title in 1965. After flooding prevented Royal Cinque Ports from hosting, both in 1938 and 1949, it was removed from the rota. The Open was played outside of England and Scotland for
5060-438: The 16th hole for a bogey and missed a 12-foot birdie putt on the 18th, which lipped out of the hole. This resulted in him missing out by one stroke on an 18-hole playoff with Hale Irwin and Mike Donald . Faldo refused to come to the press tent after his final round and later, en route to the locker room, snapped at a journalist who suggested that he had hit his putt too hard on the final green. Faldo said: "I hit it perfect. I hit
5175-421: The 1925 Open at Prestwick, it was decided it was no longer suitable for the growing size of the event, being too short, having too many blind shots, and it could not cope with the volume of spectators. The Open's original venue was replaced on the rota with Carnoustie , which hosted for the first time in 1931. Troon hosted for the first time in 1923, and Royal Lytham & St Annes was also added, hosting for
5290-408: The 1989 Masters. Starting his fourth round five shots off the lead held by Ben Crenshaw , Faldo's final round of 65 (consisting of eight birdies, nine pars and one bogey) was the low round of the tournament and enabled him to get into a playoff with Scott Hoch . Displaying some brilliant putting in his final round, Faldo holed a 50-foot birdie putt on the first hole and followed this up with birdies on
5405-591: The 2017 Open at Royal Birkdale . American Phil Mickelson won his first Open, and fifth major, in 2013. In 2016, he was involved in an epic duel with Sweden's Henrik Stenson , which many people compared to the 1977 Duel in the Sun between Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson. Stenson emerged the winner, and the first Scandinavian winner of a male professional major championship, with a record Open (and major) score of 264 (−20), three shots ahead of Mickelson, and 14 shots ahead of third place. Jack Nicklaus shared his thoughts on
5520-409: The 2nd, 4th and 7th holes. On the back nine, Faldo holed birdie putts of 12 feet at the 13th, 5 feet at the 14th, 15 feet (with an 8-foot break) at the 16th, and 30 feet at the 17th. On the first hole of the ensuing sudden-death playoff, Hoch missed a 2-foot par putt that would have won him the tournament. On the 2nd playoff hole, amid the growing evening darkness, Faldo holed a 25-foot birdie putt to win
5635-655: The Claret Jug for anything other than what it symbolized – Champion Golfer of the Year." The first event was held as an invitational tournament, but the next year Prestwick Golf Club declared that "the belt... on all future occasions, shall be open to all the world". In its early years it was often referred to as The Championship but with the advent of the Amateur Championship in 1885, it became more common to refer to it as The Open Championship or simply The Open. The tournament inspired other national bodies to introduce open golf tournaments of their own, such as
5750-435: The Open Championship record for the lowest first 36 holes (a record later tied by Brandt Snedeker in 2012). Faldo had a 54-hole lead of four shots in the 1992 Open, before losing the lead during the back-nine of the final round to American John Cook . Faldo recovered with birdies on two of the last four holes to win by a stroke over Cook, who bogeyed the 72nd hole. Perceived by some golf fans to be an aloof stoic character in
5865-456: The Open for the second time, after one of the most celebrated contests in golf history, when his duel with Jack Nicklaus went to the final shot before Watson emerged as the champion. He would go on to win again in 1980, 1982 and 1983, to win 5 times overall, a record only bettered by Harry Vardon , and he became regarded as one of the greatest links golf players of all time. In 1976, 19-year-old Spaniard Seve Ballesteros gained attention in
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#17327799625885980-427: The Open is now one of the four majors in golf, along with the U.S. Open , PGA Championship , and Masters Tournament . The term "major" is a universally-acknowledged unofficial term used by players, the media, and golf followers to define the most important tournaments, and performance in them is often used to define the careers of the best golfers. There is often discussion amongst the golfing community as to whether
6095-553: The Open, U.S. Open , or the Masters Tournament is the most prestigious major, but opinion varies (often linked to nationality). The PGA Championship is usually seen as the least prestigious of the four. In terms of official recognition, the tournament has been an event on the European Tour since its formation in 1972. In 1995, prize money won in the Open was included in the PGA Tour official money list for
6210-509: The Order of Merit in 1977, and third in 1978; and winning a European Tour event in each of those seasons (in 1977, he became the then-youngest Ryder Cup player at the age of 20). As a rookie, Faldo won all three of his matches at the 1977 Ryder Cup including a win over Jack Nicklaus and an astonishing singles victory over Tom Watson , who had just won the 1977 Open Championship two months earlier. Faldo continued his European Tour successes in
6325-502: The PGA Tour was 2001 . Afterwards, he refocused on the European Tour and consistently played less than a full schedule. At the 2002 U.S. Open , a month before his 45th birthday, Faldo finished in a very creditable position of tied for 5th place. At the 2003 Open Championship at Royal St George's, Faldo shot a fine third round of 67 and was briefly in contention for the tournament during the final round. He closed to within two shots of
6440-653: The U.S. Open, became champion by a post-war record 8 strokes to become the youngest player to win the career Grand Slam at age 24. After winning the 2002 Masters and U.S. Open, he became the latest American to try to emulate Ben Hogan and win the Open in the same year. His bid came to a halt on Saturday with the worst round of his career up to that time, an 81 (+10) in cold, gusty rain. He went on to win again back-to-back in 2005 and 2006 to bring his total to three wins. Other multiple winners in this era are South African Ernie Els (2002, 2012) and Irishman Pádraig Harrington (2007, 2008). In 2009, 59-year-old Tom Watson led
6555-878: The US. These wins are not only supplemented by his six majors, but also by his wins in invitational events such as the Nedbank Million Dollar Challenge, the Johnnie Walker World Golf Championship , and the World Matchplay, as well as his team successes in the Dunhill Cup, the World Cup of Golf , and the Ryder Cup. For much of the early 1990s, Faldo was considered the best golfer in the world. He spent
6670-632: The United States, the PGA of America has 31 distinct member classifications for professionals. Many of the classifications also have corresponding apprenticeship positions. The Open Championship The Open Championship , often referred to as The Open or the British Open , is the oldest golf tournament in the world, and one of the most prestigious. Founded in 1860, it was originally held annually at Prestwick Golf Club in Scotland . Later
6785-702: The broadcast booth; his final regular broadcast was at the Wyndham Championship , in August 2022. In 1991, Faldo launched his golf course design practice Faldo Design . As a way of opening his first course design in the UK (Chart Hills in Kent), Faldo teed up on the dog-leg right par five. He drove into the middle-right of the fairway, he then teed another ball and drove off; the two balls finished within 6 inches of each other and to this day can be seen set into
6900-412: The current calendar year, and any female golfer who finished in the top 5 and ties in the latest edition of any of the five women's majors is eligible to enter local qualifying. If they perform well they will go on to Final Qualifying, which is four simultaneous 36-hole one-day events held across the UK, with 12 players qualifying for the Open. If there are any spots left, then alternates are made up from
7015-719: The early 1980s, winning two consecutive Sun Alliance PGA Championships in England, in 1980 and 1981. Faldo finished top of the Order of Merit in 1983, with five European Tour victories. In the mid-1980s, Faldo began rebuilding his swing under the tutelage of David Leadbetter , to reorder his game and become a regular contender in major championships (many contemporaries and commentators viewed his all-encompassing swing change as excessive, although later players have adopted similar strategies to varying degrees—most notably, Tiger Woods ). Leadbetter felt that although Faldo's swing "looked beautiful," and had "marvelous rhythm," it "camouflaged
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#17327799625887130-478: The event, with Old Tom Morris winning the championship by 4 shots from Willie Park, Sr. A prize fund (£10) was introduced in 1863 split between 2nd, 3rd and 4th (the winner only received the Challenge Belt). From 1864 onwards a cash prize was also paid to the winner. Before this the only financial incentive was scheduling Prestwick's own domestic tournament the same week, this allowed professionals to earn
7245-504: The fairway in a protective case. This was a mark of the man's golfing ability at his peak. Known golf design associates of Faldo Design have been Paul Jansen, Steve Smyers, Adam Calver. Professional golfer In golf, the distinction between amateurs and professionals is rigorously maintained. An amateur who breaches the rules of amateur status may lose said status. A golfer who has lost their amateur status may not play in amateur competitions until amateur status has been reinstated;
7360-413: The final round one stroke behind American Paul Azinger . Faldo parred every hole in his final round for a one-shot victory. At one point Azinger held a lead of three shots with nine holes to play, but bogeys at four of his last nine holes, including at the 17th and 18th, placed him a stroke behind Faldo. In cool misty weather conditions, Faldo's solid and steady play in the final round won him the Open title
7475-420: The final round, saying: "Phil Mickelson played one of the best rounds I have ever seen played in the Open and Henrik Stenson just played better—he played one of the greatest rounds I have ever seen". Francesco Molinari won the 2018 Open at Carnoustie by two shots, to become the first Italian major winner. Shane Lowry won the 2019 Open when the tournament returned to Royal Portrush Golf Club , to become
7590-432: The first American-born winner. The period between 1923 and 1933 saw an American-based player win every year (two were British-born), and included three wins by amateur Bobby Jones , and one by Gene Sarazen , who had already won top tournaments in the United States. English players won every year between 1934 and 1939, including two wins by Henry Cotton (he would go on to win a third in 1948). After overcrowding issues at
7705-615: The first non-British winner. Royal Cinque Ports in England became the 6th different Open host course in 1909. The pre-war period is most famous for the Great Triumvirate of Harry Vardon (Jersey), John Henry Taylor (England), and James Braid (Scotland). The trio combined to win The Open Championship 16 times in the 21 tournaments held between 1894 and 1914; Vardon won six times (a record that still stands today) with Braid and Taylor winning five apiece. In
7820-533: The first of his three Opens. Only four Americans had entered, but in 1960 Arnold Palmer travelled to Scotland after winning the Masters and U.S. Open , in an attempt to emulate Hogan's 1953 feat of winning all three tournaments in a single year. Although he finished second to Kel Nagle , he returned and won the Open in 1961 and 1962. Palmer was hugely popular in America, and his victories are likely to have been
7935-536: The first time in 1926. Prince's hosted its one and only Open in 1932. The Open returned after the Second World War to St Andrews, with a victory for American Sam Snead . Bobby Locke became the first South African winner, winning three times in four years between 1949 and 1952, and later winning a fourth title in 1957. Having already won the Masters and the U.S. Open earlier in the year, Ben Hogan won in his one and only Open appearance in 1953 to win
8050-474: The first time in 1951 at Royal Portrush , Northern Ireland . The period saw fewer American entrants, as the PGA Tour had grown to be quite lucrative, and the PGA Championship was often played at the same or similar time paying triple the prize money. A larger golf ball was also used in America, which meant they had to adjust for the Open. In 1959, Gary Player , a young South African , won
8165-454: The first time many Americans would have seen the Open on television. This, along with the growth of trans-Atlantic jet travel, inspired many more Americans to travel in the future. The period is primarily defined by the competition between Player, Palmer, and Jack Nicklaus . Nicklaus won three times (1966, 1970, 1978) and had a record seven runner-ups. American Lee Trevino also made his mark winning his two Opens back to back in 1971 and 1972,
8280-427: The first time, a change that caused an increase in the number of American entries. In addition all previous PGA Tour seasons have been retroactively adjusted to include the Open in official money and win statistics. Currently the Open, along with the other three majors and The Players Championship , are the top-tier tournaments in the PGA Tour's FedEx Cup , offering more points than any other non-playoff event. The Open
8395-547: The five tournaments in this span the Triumvirate did not win, one or more of them finished runner-up. These rivalries enormously increased the public's interest in golf, but the First World War meant another Open was not held until 1920, and none of the trio won another Open. In 1920 the Open returned, and The Royal and Ancient Golf Club became the sole organiser of the Open Championship. In 1926 they standardised
8510-495: The format of the tournament to spread over three days (18 holes on day 1 and 2, and 36 on day 3), and include both qualifying and a cut. In 1921 eleven U.S.-based players travelled to Scotland financed by a popular subscription called the "British Open Championship Fund", after a campaign by the American magazine Golf Illustrated . Five of these players were actually British born, and had emigrated to America to take advantage of
8625-476: The formation of the PGA in 1901 which had a big impact in promoting interest in professional golf (and therefore The Open) and increasing playing standards. Between the World Wars, the first wins by Americans were widely celebrated when they broke the dominance previously held by British players. After World War II , although the profile of the tournament remained high in the UK and Commonwealth countries,
8740-419: The golfing world when he finished second. He would go on to win three Opens (1979, 1984, 1988), and was the first continental European to win since Arnaud Massy in 1907. Other multiple winners in this period were Englishman Nick Faldo with three (1987, 1990, 1992), and Australian Greg Norman with two (1986, 1993). Every year between 1994 and 2004 had a first-time winner. In 1999, the Open at Carnoustie
8855-598: The high demand for club professionals as the popularity of golf grew. A match was played between the Americans and a team of British professionals, which is seen as a forerunner of the Ryder Cup . When the Open was held two weeks later, one of these visitors, Jock Hutchison , a naturalised American citizen, won in St Andrews , the town of his birth. In 1922 Walter Hagen won the first of his four Opens, and become
8970-530: The highest ranked players in the OWGR who are not already qualified, which brings the total field up to 156 players. In 2018, the OWGR gave the Open a strength of field rating of 902 (the maximum possible is 1000 if the top 200 players in the world were all in a tournament). This was only bettered by the PGA Championship , a tournament which actively targets a high strength of field rating. Field : 156 players Basic Format : 72 hole stroke play . Play 18 holes
9085-408: The latter denying Nicklaus a calendar year Grand Slam. The only British champion in this period was Tony Jacklin , and it is also notable for having the first winner from Argentina , Roberto De Vicenzo . By 1975, the concept of the modern majors had been firmly established, and the PGA Championship had been moved to August since 1969, so no longer clashed with the Open. This meant the Open had
9200-411: The lead after a birdie at the 5th hole in the final round before holing a 30-foot eagle putt on the 7th. However, his momentum stalled over the next three holes. A birdie at the 14th hole took him to level par and into fourth place. However, three successive bogeys on his subsequent three holes ended his challenge and he finished the tournament in a tie for eighth place. It was Faldo's last top-10 finish in
9315-452: The lead analyst for Golf Channel 's coverage on the PGA Tour . Faldo has garnered less positive support since he began working on his own. He and Azinger did have a pair of reunion telecasts, one for each of the analysts' employers. Faldo joined Azinger and Tirico on ABC for the 2007 Open Championship . Meanwhile, Azinger joined Faldo and Brian Hammons on Golf Channel for the 2009 Presidents Cup . Faldo retired from CBS after 16 years in
9430-561: The loss. Norman said in interview after defeat that "He (Faldo) had gone way, way up in my estimations." Since then they have become friends and fishing partners, a passion they both share. After Faldo's victory at the 1996 Masters, he had just one further tournament win in his career at the 1997 Nissan Open in Los Angeles, at the age of 39. As Faldo entered his forties, his form gradually declined and he devoted more time to off-course activities. The last season that he played regularly on
9545-402: The low prize money compared to the US events and the cost of travel meant fewer Americans participated. High-profile visits and wins by Ben Hogan and Arnold Palmer , the growth of cheaper and faster transatlantic flights , and the introduction of television coverage recovered its prestige. When the modern concept of the majors was cemented, the Open was included as one of those four. Thus,
9660-464: The modern era, much more frequently than the other courses used for the Open. Previous champions will often choose St Andrews as their final Open tournament. It has become traditional to come down the 18th fairway to huge applause from the amphitheatre crowds, and to pose for final pictures on the Swilken Bridge with the picturesque clubhouse and town in the background. The Open trophy is
9775-506: The mould of Ben Hogan , Faldo displayed visible emotion after his Open-winning putt on the final hole at Muirfield in 1992, trembling and shedding tears. Faldo later said: "I thought I'd blown it. If I had lost, I would have needed a very large plaster to patch that one up." Faldo claimed the European Tour Order of Merit a second time in 1992. During that time, Faldo said of his success: "The run doesn't have to end. If someone
9890-431: The player's score on a hole is not the primary goal, such as long drive and putting competitions, outside the amateurism rules. If an amateur accepts a prize of greater than this in a competition covered by the amateurism rules, they forfeit their amateur status, and are therefore by definition a professional golfer. Professional golfers are divided into two main groups, with a limited amount of overlap between them: In
10005-804: The prestige and stature of his successes are impressive, and he has more major victories than any of these players. Faldo's CV boasts (often multiple) successes in high-profile tour events such as the French Open, Irish Open, Spanish Open, the European PGA, the British Masters, the European Open, the Johnnie Walker Classic, and the Volvo Masters, as well as his Nissan Open, Doral Open, and Heritage successes in
10120-426: The rotation. From 1892 the tournament was increased in duration to four 18-hole rounds over two days (Prestwick had been extended to an 18-hole course by then ). Between 1898 and 1925 the tournament either had a cut after 36 holes, or a qualifying event, and the largest field was 226 in 1911. The large field meant sometimes the tournament was spread across up to four days. In 1907 Arnaud Massy from France became
10235-433: The rules of golf and amateur status, the maximum value of a prize an amateur can accept is £700 or US$ 1000. Before the most recent increase in 2022, the maximum had been £500 or $ 750. The 2022 changes also significantly reduced the scope of competitions in which the prize limit applies. Before that time, the only competitions exempt from prize limits were hole in one contests. The 2022 changes took all competitions in which
10350-404: The same sort of backgrounds as the members of the clubs where they work or the people they teach the game, and are educated to university level. Leading tournament golfers are very wealthy; upper class in the modern U.S. usage of the term. However, in some developing countries, there is still a class distinction. Typically, golf is restricted to a much smaller and more elite section of society than
10465-513: The satisfaction of the above committee that the belt shall be safely kept and laid on the table at the next meeting to compete for it until it becomes the property of the winner by being won three times in succession". Eight golfers contested the event, with Willie Park, Sr. winning the championship by 2 shots from Old Tom Morris , and he was declared "The Champion Golfer of the Year". A year later, it became "open" to amateurs as well as professionals. Ten professionals and eight amateurs contested
10580-573: The second champion from the Republic of Ireland . In 2020, the Open Championship was cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic . It was the first time the championship had been cancelled since World War II. The R&A also confirmed that Royal St George's , which would have hosted the championship in 2020, would be the host venue in 2021, effectively retaining the Old Course at St Andrews as
10695-520: The sudden death playoff at the first extra hole. Later that month, as defending Open champion, Faldo was involved in a memorable duel with rival Greg Norman in the Open Championship at Royal St George's Golf Club . Starting his final round one shot ahead of Norman, Faldo hit a tee shot on the par-3 11th which appeared to be heading for a hole in one, but the ball hit the cup and rolled away. Faldo played some excellent golf in his final round of 67, but he finished runner-up, two strokes behind Norman, who shot
10810-522: The three Scottish golf courses, and played over 36 holes in a single day until 1889. In the 1890s, the tournament was won four times by three Englishman (two of whom were amateurs). In 1892 the tournament was played for the first time at the newly built Muirfield , which replaced Musselburgh as the host venue used by the Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers. A few years later St George's and Royal Liverpool in England were added to
10925-472: The top scorer in the tournament. On the final day of the competition, Faldo decided to play a tactic, where the best players would start lower down the order; thus, if it went to a close finish, Europe would have its best players in play. This tactic seemed to backfire, as the US, leading by 2 at the start of the day, gained the 5 points they required by the eighth match, rendering the last four irrelevant. After cutting back on his playing schedule, Faldo became
11040-467: The tournament through 71 holes and needed just a par on the last hole to become the oldest ever winner of a major championship, and also match Harry Vardon 's six Opens. Watson bogeyed, setting up a four-hole playoff, which he lost to Stewart Cink . In 2015, Jordan Spieth became another American to arrive having already won the year's Masters and U.S. Open tournaments. He finished tied for fourth as Zach Johnson became champion. Spieth would go on to win
11155-412: The tournament where Norman collapsed in the final round, Faldo's 67 was a memorable display of concentration and consistency which put pressure on Norman. After Faldo finished, he hugged Norman and whispered something in his ear, which years later Norman confirmed to have included the line "Don't let the bastards get you down," a reference to the media, which Faldo assumed would aggressively hound Norman for
11270-515: The tournament. At the 1990 Masters, Faldo successfully defended his title. He came from behind to get into a playoff with Raymond Floyd , once again winning on the second playoff hole after Floyd pulled his approach shot into a pond left of the green. Faldo became the first player to win back-to-back Masters titles since Jack Nicklaus in 1965–66. In the next major at the 1990 U.S. Open at Medinah Country Club , Faldo finished tied for 3rd place. In his final round of 69 he three-putted from 45 feet on
11385-518: The trophy to be presented to the 1872 Open champion, who was once again Young Tom Morris. Instead, he was awarded with a medal inscribed 'The Golf Champion Trophy', although he is the first to be engraved on the Claret Jug as the 1872 winner. Medals have been given to, and kept by the winner ever since. Young Tom Morris died in 1875, aged 24. The tournament continued to be dominated and won by Scottish professionals, to be rotated between
11500-453: The twelve-hole links course. In the mid-19th century golf was played mainly by well-off gentlemen, as hand-crafted clubs and balls were expensive. Professionals made a living from playing for bets, caddying, ball and club making, and instruction. Allan Robertson was the most famous of these pros, and was regarded as the undisputed best golfer between 1843 and his death in 1859. James Ogilvie Fairlie of Prestwick Golf Club decided to form
11615-425: The two rivals tied for the lead on the 18th tee. Faldo missed a 25-foot birdie putt on the 18th green which would have made him the first British player since Tony Jacklin in 1970 to hold both major national championships. The following day, Strange won the 18-hole Monday playoff by four strokes. Strange shot an even-par round of 71, while Faldo struggled with a round of 75. Faldo won his second major championship at
11730-550: The venue for the 150th Open. The Open is always played on a coastal links golf course. Links golf is often described as the "purest" form of golf and keeps a connection with the way the game originated in Scotland in the 15th century. The terrain is open, often without any trees, and will generally be undulating with a sandy base. The golf courses are often primarily shaped by nature, rather than 'built'. Weather, particularly wind, plays an important role, and although there will be
11845-536: The venue rotated between a select group of coastal links golf courses in the United Kingdom . It is organised by The R&A . The Open is one of the four men's major golf championships , the others being the Masters Tournament , the PGA Championship and the U.S. Open . Since the PGA Championship moved to May in 2019, the Open has been chronologically the fourth and final major tournament of
11960-502: The windy conditions the speed of the greens are often slower than a golfer might be used to on the PGA Tour , to avoid the ball being moved by a gust. The Old Course at St Andrews is regarded as the oldest golf course in the world, and winning the Open there is widely considered to be one of the pinnacles of achievement in golf. Given the special status of the Old Course, the Open is generally played there once every five years in
12075-419: The year. It is held in mid-July. It is called The Open because it is in theory "open" to all, i.e. professional and amateur golfers. In practice, the current event is a professional tournament in which a small number of the world's leading amateurs also play, by invitation or qualification. The success of the tournament has led to many other open golf tournaments to be introduced around the world. The winner
12190-692: Was "obsessively driven by the impossible dream of technical perfection." Faldo was selected as captain of the European Ryder Cup team in 2008 . The 37th Ryder Cup, held at the Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville , Kentucky, USA, was won 16½ – 11½ by Team USA to end the streak of three successive victories for Team Europe. Faldo had picked Ian Poulter as a wild card ahead of Darren Clarke , who already had two tour victories that season. This decision paid off when Poulter emerged as
12305-451: Was announced that Faldo had signed a contract with CBS to replace Lanny Wadkins as the network's lead golf analyst. Faldo said, "I view this as a fabulous opportunity for me, which may come once every ten years. But it will seriously curtail my playing career. My playing days aren't completely over but my priority now is given to CBS." Faldo's decision meant he missed the 2007 Masters , an event he had won three times. In 2007 he also became
12420-404: Was dropped from the name. The Women's Open , seen by some as the women's equivalent to the Open (although unlike the Open it is not always held on a links course, and was not run by the R&A until 2017) was officially known as the "Women's British Open" from its inception in 1976 until 2020, when the word "British" was dropped from the name as part of a sponsorship deal with AIG . The Open
12535-601: Was famously difficult, and Frenchman Jean van de Velde had a three-shot lead teeing off on the final hole. He ended up triple bogeying after finding the Barry Burn , and Scotman Paul Lawrie , ranked 241st in the world, ended up winning in a playoff. He was 10 strokes behind the leader going into the final round, a record for all majors. He was not the only unheralded champion during this span, as 396th-ranked Ben Curtis and 56th-ranked Todd Hamilton won in 2003 and 2004, respectively. In 2000, Tiger Woods , having just won
12650-406: Was fine with me. I'm proud of beating him when he was in his prime." Nick Dougherty , who won three Faldo Junior Series events and went on to win tournaments on the European Tour, said of Faldo: "He's the most driven human being I've ever known. People say Tiger Woods created the new breed of golfer but I believe Nick Faldo did." In 1990, British golf writer Peter Dobereiner suggested that Faldo
12765-672: Was interested in was getting out of the gates as quick as possible and going to the golf course." Faldo's golf prowess was soon noticed in the United States, where he was given a golf scholarship to the University of Houston . He attended for ten weeks, but he felt the distraction of going to school hurt his golf game. After leaving the school, Faldo turned professional in 1976 and joined the European Professional Golfers Association. Faldo achieved instant European Tour successes, finishing eighth on
12880-399: Was played by the rich, for pleasure. The early professionals were working-class men who made a living from the game in a variety of ways: caddying , greenkeeping, clubmaking, and playing challenge matches. When golf arrived in America at the end of the 19th century, it was an elite sport there, too. Early American golf clubs imported their professionals from Britain. It was not possible to make
12995-479: Was reached between Prestwick, the Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers and The Royal and Ancient Golf Club . They decided that each of the three clubs would contribute £10 towards the cost of a new silver trophy, which became known as the Claret Jug , known officially as The Golf Champion Trophy, and hosting of the Open would be rotated between the three clubs. These decisions were taken too late for
13110-430: Was thousands and thousands. He also kept up his short game too – he worked hard on that aspect of his game." In an interview in 2005, Curtis Strange said: "Nick Faldo stared a lot of guys down. He had a way of folding his arms and looking at you as though he knew you were going to make a mistake. But in our playoff in the 1988 U.S. Open, I was in a good frame of mind to handle him. We didn't say three words all day, which
13225-449: Was very difficult to get close to. But I don't think it hurt his performance. You don't have to be 'Mr Popular' to win golf tournaments." Faldo's strong work ethic was praised by Leadbetter, who said that during uncomfortably hot conditions in the summer heat of Florida, a conservative estimate of Faldo's practice levels would be him hitting "500–800 balls a day, every day". Leadbetter said: "I don't know how many balls we hit in total but it
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