HOYLAKE, England, 18 July 2006 — It should be an interesting atmosphere here on the first tee at 2.09 p.m. on Thursday when Tiger Woods and Nick Faldo shake hands. Indeed, if the temperature stays as hot as it was yesterday then this could just be the coollest place on The Wirral.
It has been one of golf’s worst-kept secrets that the best golfer that America has ever produced is not best friends with the best golfer Britain has ever produced.
Ever since Faldo criticized Woods on air in his “other job” as a commentator for ABC Television, the pair have not spoken to each other with the world No. 1 blanking the Englishman whenever their paths have crossed.
For that reason the draw elicited many sniggers around the Hoylake locker rooms. But not from Faldo.
“I guess I’ll see on Thursday if we are speaking or not,” said the three-times Open winner. “What happened is all under the bridge, but with a few trout lying on the side. What I said was what I’m paid to do. I’m entitled to my opinion. Sometimes I might be wrong, sometimes I’m right. As long as it’s entertaining and the checks keep coming is what counts.” What Faldo in fact said at last year’s Buick Invitational was “What was that?” after Woods had sliced his two-iron second shot to the final green so far right of target it actually missed the water in front of the green. That piece of good fortune enabled Woods to go on to win the tournament, but only after Faldo had dissected the swing in slow motion, exclaimed that he “fanned” it and questioned how the world’s finest could have played such a bad shot in such circumstances.
Despite admitting that “I absolutely whiffed it,” Woods, who was making changes to his swing under the guidance of his coach, Hank Haney, was furious to hear of the comments and was understood to be extremely keen to play Faldo in the Tavistock Cup later that year. Fortunately for the 48-year-old, bad weather prevented that from happening, but Woods will have a belated chance to make his point in the Open’s opening two rounds. Faldo is dreading it for another reason, however.
“I’ve been thrown in the deep end, the spotlight will be on us and I’m totally unprepared,” said Faldo, who won his last major, the US Masters, a decade ago. “I have had only a week to prepare for this. I haven’t played a competitive round since April.” Woods - who once again undertook his usual dawn shift at Hoylake yesterday starting his practice round just after 6.30 a.m. and was packed up and home four hours later - was not available to give his side of the story. But the 30-year-old is renowned for bearing grudges and is not expected to be in the mood for burying any hatchets.
After missing his first cut as a professional in a major at the US Open when he was returning after a near 10-week absence grieving the death of his father, Woods will, anyway, be completely focused on the job in hand and if this second nonchalant trip around the 7,258-yard layout was anything to go by he will bring some challenge to his nemesis, Phil Mickelson, as well as some embarrassment to his enemy Faldo.
Mickelson, who will be going for his third major victory in four, will also have a British hope for company in Darren Clarke, while Ernie Els will have Luke Donald trying to escape from his formidable shadow. Neither did Colin Montgomerie land the quiet spot he had hoped for. John Daly is anything but a silent partner.
But none of these were the most startling aspects about the draw-sheet.
