Nick is one of Europe's most successful golfers, with over 42 titles to his credit. Nick always demonstrated a natural aptitude for sport, but watching Jack Nicklaus competing in the 1971 US Masters was a defining moment and inspired him to take up golf. With a set of clubs borrowed from the next door neighbors, Nick started learning golf at his local club. Within four years he was the best amateur player in Europe, winning the English Amateur Championship and the British Youth Championships in 1975. The following year Nick took up golf professionally. In 1977, aged just 20, Nick became the youngest ever Ryder Cup team member and proceeded to win all his matches. In the years since, he has represented Europe a record eleven times and to this day he holds the record for the number of points and matches won in the competition. Throughout the 80's Nick rose to prominence as one of Europe's top golfers. Faldo was a steady player who frequently found himself in contention, and he posted wins here and there, leading up to his big 1983 season. But he also developed a reputation as a golfer who couldn't close the deal in the biggest events. He was derisively called Fold-o" in some circles, having shown a knack for choking. That's when he decided to rework his swing. Under the tutelage of David Leadbetter, he radically altered his swing, a painstaking two year process that had a revitalizing effect on his competitive game. With critics doubting his ability to regain his form, he emerged as a technically better player. The work culminated with his victory at the 1987 British Open, where Faldo made 18 pars in the final round. Nobody would ever again accuse Faldo of folding in big tournaments. He went on to win six Majors including three Open Championships and three US masters. In 1988 a highly successful decade was capped for Nick by an MBE for services to golf. In 1992 Nick became the first European player to win over $1 million in prize money during a single season. He held the record for the most successive weeks at the top of the Sony World Ranking - a staggering 81 weeks! The decade ended on a high when he partnered David Carter to England's first victory in the World Cup of Golf in Auckland in 1998. In all, Faldo won 30 times on the European Tour, 6 times on the U.S. PGA Tour, and 6 majors. He has recently been elected to captain the European Ryder Cup team in 2008. He is also a full time lead analyst for both CBS and The Golf Channel, the leading stations for PGA coverage. Faldo's business interests include course design and golf academies, and he does commentary on golf broadcasts."
