History of Nick Faldo in Timeline
Sir Nick Faldo is a highly decorated English retired professional golfer and current television commentator. He achieved the number one spot in the Official World Golf Ranking for 97 weeks and is celebrated for his commitment to golf. Faldo's career boasts 41 professional wins, including 30 on the European Tour. He secured six major championships, winning The Open Championship three times and The Masters Tournament three times, solidifying his place as one of golf's all-time greats.
1914: Historical Context of Major Wins
Since World War I in 1914, Nick Faldo has won more major golf championships than any player from Europe.
July 1957: Birth of Nick Faldo
In July 1957, Nicholas Alexander Faldo was born. He is an English retired professional golfer and television commentator. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time, and was ranked No. 1 on the Official World Golf Ranking for 97 weeks.
1957: Birth in Welwyn Garden City
In 1957, Nick Faldo was born in Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, England, the only child of Joyce and George Faldo. His father worked as an accountant at Imperial Chemical Industries.
1965: Jack Nicklaus Masters win
In 1990, Faldo became the first player since Jack Nicklaus in 1965-66 to win back-to-back Masters titles.
1970: Tony Jacklin's Major Win
In 1988 at the U.S. Open, Faldo missed a putt that would have made him the first British player since Tony Jacklin in 1970 to hold both major national championships.
1971: First Exposure to Golf
In 1971, at age 14, Nick Faldo watched Jack Nicklaus play the Masters on his parents' new color television and "became hooked" on golf. This was his first exposure to the game.
November 1974: Walker Cup Team Selection
In November 1974, Nick Faldo's successes came too late to gain a Walker Cup place, as the team had already been selected in late May.
November 1975: Commonwealth Tournament
In November 1975, Nick Faldo represented Great Britain in the Commonwealth Tournament in South Africa.
1976: Turning Professional
In 1976, Faldo turned professional and joined the European Professional Golfers Association.
1977: Ryder Cup and European Tour Successes
In 1977, Faldo finished eighth on the Order of Merit and became the youngest Ryder Cup player at age 20. He won all three of his Ryder Cup matches, including a win over Jack Nicklaus and a victory over Tom Watson.
1978: Third on Order of Merit
In 1978, Faldo finished third on the European Tour Order of Merit.
1979: Marriage to Melanie Rockall
In 1979, Nick Faldo married Melanie Rockall, whom he had met when he was 21.
1979: Seve Ballesteros' Major Wins (Context)
Seve Ballesteros won five majors from 1979 to 1988.
1980: Sun Alliance PGA Championship Win
In 1980, Faldo won the Sun Alliance PGA Championship in England.
1981: Second Sun Alliance PGA Championship Win
In 1981, Faldo won his second consecutive Sun Alliance PGA Championship in England.
1982: Tom Watson wins two majors
The following month after the 1990 U.S. Open, Faldo won his second Open Championship becoming the first golfer since Tom Watson in 1982 to win two majors in the same year.
1983: Top of the Order of Merit
In 1983, Faldo finished top of the European Tour Order of Merit, securing five European Tour victories.
1984: Swing Rebuilding
Starting in the mid-1980s, which included 1984, Faldo began rebuilding his swing under the tutelage of David Leadbetter to improve his game.
1986: Marriage to Gill Bennett
In 1986, Nick Faldo married Gill Bennett, and they had three children: Natalie, Matthew, and Georgia.
May 1987: Peugeot Spanish Open Victory
In May 1987, Faldo won the Peugeot Spanish Open, marking his first European Tour victory since 1984 and a turning point in restoring his confidence.
July 1987: First Major Title at The Open Championship
In July 1987, Nick Faldo claimed his first major title at The Open Championship at Muirfield, finishing with a steady performance in the final round to secure a one-shot victory after Paul Azinger's late bogeys.
1987: 1987 Open Championship
During the 1987 Open Championship, Nick Faldo completed a final round of 18 consecutive pars, showcasing his steady play under pressure.
1987: Major Tournament Wins
From 1987 through 1996, Nick Faldo had more professional major tournament wins than any other player in the world, totaling six.
1987: Open Championship Victory
In 1987, Nick Faldo won the Open Championship, marking a significant milestone in his career.
1987: Open Championship Win After Azinger's Mistakes
Nick Faldo's Open Championship win in 1987 came after mistakes in the closing two holes by Paul Azinger.
1988: U.S. Open Playoff Loss
In 1988, Nick Faldo tied for the lead at the U.S. Open with Curtis Strange, but lost in an 18-hole Monday playoff by four strokes after struggling in the final round.
1988: Member of the Order of the British Empire
In the 1988 New Year Honours, Nick Faldo was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for services to golf.
1988: U.S. Open Playoff against Curtis Strange
In the 1988 U.S. Open playoff, Curtis Strange was in a good frame of mind to handle Nick Faldo, resulting in him beating Faldo when he was in his prime.
1988: Seve Ballesteros' Major Wins (Context)
Seve Ballesteros won five majors from 1979 to 1988.
1989: European Tour Player of the Year
In 1989, Nick Faldo was named the European Tour Player of the Year.
1989: BBC Sports Personality of the Year
In 1989, Nick Faldo was voted BBC Sports Personality of the Year.
1989: Masters Tournament Victory
In 1989, Nick Faldo won the Masters Tournament, further solidifying his reputation as a top golfer.
1989: Masters Title After Hoch's Mistake
In 1989, Nick Faldo's Masters title at Augusta occurred after Scott Hoch missed a short putt.
1990: U.S. Open Third Place Finish
At the 1990 U.S. Open, Nick Faldo finished tied for 3rd place, missing out on a playoff by one stroke after a three-putt and a missed birdie putt in his final round. He expressed frustration to a journalist afterward.
1990: Dobereiner on Faldo's Drive
In 1990, British golf writer Peter Dobereiner suggested that Nick Faldo was "obsessively driven by the impossible dream of technical perfection."
1990: Masters Victory and Back-to-Back Titles
In 1990, Faldo successfully defended his Masters title, winning in a playoff against Raymond Floyd. He became the first player since Jack Nicklaus in 1965-66 to win back-to-back Masters titles.
1990: Open Championship and Masters Victories
In 1990, Nick Faldo achieved victories in both the Open Championship and the Masters Tournament.
1990: Awards and Titles
In 1990, Nick Faldo was named the PGA Tour Player of the Year and the European Tour Player of the Year.
1990: Masters Title After Floyd's Error
In 1990, Nick Faldo won his Masters title at Augusta after Raymond Floyd hit into a pond.
1991: Launch of Faldo Design
In 1991, Nick Faldo launched his golf course design practice, Faldo Design.
1992: Emotional Open Win
After winning the 1992 Open at Muirfield, Faldo displayed visible emotion, trembling and shedding tears after his Open-winning putt on the final hole.
1992: Second European Tour Order of Merit
In 1992, Faldo claimed the European Tour Order of Merit a second time, with record-breaking worldwide earnings of £1,558,978.
1992: Third Open Championship Win
In 1992, Faldo won his third Open Championship at Muirfield, overcoming a lost lead in the final round to win by a stroke over John Cook.
1992: Spectacular Round at Muirfield
In 1992, Nick Faldo carded a round of 64 at Muirfield during the Open Championship.
1992: European Tour Player of the Year
In 1992, Nick Faldo was named the European Tour Player of the Year.
1992: Open Championship Win After Cook's Mistakes
Nick Faldo's Open Championship win in 1992 was achieved after John Cook made mistakes in the closing two holes.
July 1993: Carroll's Irish Open Win
In July 1993, Faldo won the Carroll's Irish Open for an unprecedented third time in a row after a playoff with José María Olazábal.
1993: Spectacular Round at Royal St George's
In 1993, Nick Faldo carded a round of 63 at Royal St George's during the Open Championship.
1994: Spectacular Round at Turnberry
In 1994, Nick Faldo carded a round of 64 at Turnberry during the Open Championship.
1995: Focus on U.S. PGA Tour
In 1995, Faldo decided to concentrate on playing on the U.S. PGA Tour to pursue further major championships.
1995: End of Marriage to Gill Bennett
In 1995, Nick Faldo's marriage to Gill Bennett ended after he began a relationship with Brenna Cepelak.
April 1996: Sixth Major Championship at the Masters
In April 1996, Nick Faldo won his sixth and final major championship at the Masters.
1996: Major Tournament Wins
From 1987 through 1996, Nick Faldo had more professional major tournament wins than any other player in the world, totaling six.
1996: Masters Victory and Norman Collapse
In 1996, Faldo won the Masters after Greg Norman's collapse, shooting a 67 in the final round to win by five strokes. He offered words of encouragement to Norman after the round.
1996: Launch of the Faldo Series
In 1996, Nick Faldo launched the Faldo Series to provide opportunities to young golfers under the age of 21 from around the world.
1996: Masters win
In 1996, after Faldo's victory at the Masters, he had just one further tournament win in his career.
1997: Nissan Open Win
In 1997, Faldo won the Nissan Open in Los Angeles at the age of 39, which was his last tournament win.
1997: Establishment of The Faldo Golf Institute
In 1997, Nick Faldo established The Faldo Golf Institute along with the Marriott hotel chain, offering a golf instructional program.
1998: Inducted into World Golf Hall of Fame
In 1998, Nick Faldo was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame.
1998: End of Partnership with David Leadbetter
In 1998, Nick Faldo's partnership with David Leadbetter ended when Faldo dispensed with his services via a letter.
2000: Ranked 18th Greatest Golfer
In 2000, Golf Digest magazine ranked Nick Faldo as the 18th greatest golfer of all time.
July 2001: Marriage to Valerie Bercher
In July 2001, Nick Faldo married Valerie Bercher in a lavish ceremony at his Windsor home.
2001: Last Regular Season on PGA Tour
In 2001, Nick Faldo played his last season regularly on the PGA Tour, after which he refocused on the European Tour.
2002: U.S. Open Tied for 5th Place
In 2002, a month before his 45th birthday, Faldo finished in a very creditable position of tied for 5th place at the U.S. Open.
2003: Leadbetter's assessment of Faldo
In 2003, David Leadbetter remarked on Nick Faldo's lack of popularity among other players and his focus on winning rather than making friends.
2003: Open Championship Tie for Eighth Place
In 2003, Faldo tied for eighth place at the Open Championship, marking his last top-10 finish in a major championship.
2003: Sandy Jones's assessment of Faldo's Career
In 2003, PGA chief executive Sandy Jones stated that Nick Faldo's career achievements position him as Britain's best golfer of all time.
2003: Birth of Daughter Emma Scarlet
Nick Faldo and Valerie Bercher had a daughter, Emma Scarlet, born in 2003.
2004: Broadcasting Career Begins
In 2004, Nick Faldo became a broadcaster for ABC Sports' PGA Tour coverage, working alongside Paul Azinger and Mike Tirico.
2005: Curtis Strange's Interview
In an interview in 2005, Curtis Strange said that Nick Faldo stared a lot of guys down, giving the impression that he knew his opponents were going to make a mistake.
May 2006: Divorce Filing from Valerie Bercher
In May 2006, it was announced that Nick Faldo had filed for divorce from Valerie Bercher.
October 2006: Signs with CBS
On October 3, 2006, Nick Faldo signed a contract with CBS to replace Lanny Wadkins as the network's lead golf analyst, a decision that would curtail his playing career.
2006: Lead Golf Analyst for CBS Sports
In 2006, Faldo became the lead golf analyst for CBS Sports, transitioning into a broadcasting role.
2006: Broadcasting Career with ABC Sports Ends
In 2006, Nick Faldo concluded his work as a broadcaster for ABC Sports' PGA Tour coverage, where he had worked alongside Paul Azinger and Mike Tirico.
2006: Sporadic Tournament Appearances
In 2006, Nick Faldo's appearances in professional tournaments were sporadic. Besides competing in the Masters and the Open Championship, he only participated in two other European Tour events during 2006.
2007: Brand Ambassador for Mercedes-Benz
In 2007, Mercedes-Benz signed Nick Faldo to act as a brand ambassador to promote the revival of the Maybach brand of ultra-luxury automobiles.
2007: Limited Tournament Appearances and Senior British Open
In the first half of 2007, Nick Faldo didn't participate in any regular tour events but he did play in the 2007 Open at Carnoustie, missing the cut. He finished tied for 14th in the Senior British Open, marking his first Champions Tour event.
2008: Absence from The Open
In 2008, Nick Faldo did not participate in The Open at Royal Birkdale, which was the first time he missed the competition since 1975.
2009: Missed Cut at Turnberry Open
In 2009, Nick Faldo entered The Open at Turnberry but missed the 36-hole cut.
2009: Reunion Telecast on Golf Channel
In 2009, Paul Azinger joined Nick Faldo and Brian Hammons on Golf Channel for the Presidents Cup as part of a reunion telecast.
2009: Knight Bachelor
In the 2009 Birthday Honours, Nick Faldo was made a Knight Bachelor for services to golf.
2010: Missed Cut at St Andrews Open
In 2010, Nick Faldo entered The Open at St Andrews, but missed the 36-hole cut.
2011: Faldo Opts Out of The Open
In 2011, Nick Faldo chose not to participate in The Open at Royal St George's.
2012: Brandt Snedeker ties record
In 1992 at the Open Championship, Faldo's first two rounds of 66-64 broke the Open Championship record for the lowest first 36 holes, a record later tied by Brandt Snedeker in 2012.
2013: Missed Cut at Muirfield Open
In 2013, Nick Faldo competed at The Open at Muirfield, but missed the cut.
September 2014: Recipient of the Payne Stewart Award
Nick Faldo was announced as the 2014 recipient of the Payne Stewart Award on September 9, 2014.
January 2015: Career Earnings Update
As of January 2015, Nick Faldo's career European Tour earnings were just over €8 million, and his U.S. PGA Tour earnings were over $5 million.
2015: Final Open Championship Appearance
In 2015, Nick Faldo decided to make The Open at St Andrews his final Open Championship appearance.
December 2020: Marriage to Lindsay De Marco
In December 2020, Nick Faldo married his fourth wife, Lindsay De Marco, in the Florida Keys.
August 2022: Retirement from CBS Broadcasting
In August 2022, Nick Faldo retired from CBS after 16 years in the broadcast booth; his final regular broadcast was at the Wyndham Championship.
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