magic moments - faldo's finest (1987)
Faldo and Woosie - successful partners.
Nick Faldo and Ian Woosnam v Curtis Strange and Tom Kite, Muirfield Village 1987 In becoming not only the most capped, but also the biggest points-scorer in Ryder Cup history Nick Faldo formed a number of powerful partnerships. Peter Oosterhuis, Bernhard Langer, Colin Montgomerie and Lee Westwood all experienced multiple success with the six-major winner, but it was one game of 10 he played with Ian Woosnam that Faldo rates above all others. Tony Jacklin decided to bring the two together at Muirfield Village in 1987 as Europe, having sent the Americans to their first defeat since 1957 two years earlier at The Belfry, tried to achieve their first victory on United States soil. Maybe the side did not have the strength in depth that Woosnam has at his disposal at the K Club, but Jacklin found three deadly duos - Spaniards Seve Ballesteros and Cup rookie Jose Maria Olazabal, Langer and Sandy Lyle and also the 'Little and Large' act Woosnam and Faldo. They won twice on an opening day that saw Europe whitewashing Jack Nicklaus' shocked team in the afternoon fourballs, then halved with Hal Sutton and Masters champion Larry Mize as the lead was extended to five points. For the second day fourballs Faldo and Woosnam led off against the formidable pair of Curtis Strange - winner of the next two US Opens - and Tom Kite. And what a message they sent to their team-mates. "I don't think the Americans knew what hit them," said Faldo. "Woosie and I birdied the first five holes. I remember we both played like dreams." Woosnam began it with an approach to two feet at the first. Faldo was then close on two and three, the Welshman made a 14-footer at the next and at the par-five fifth Faldo was only tap-in distance away to take them five under par. "Sometimes when you're playing with Woosie you feel like putting a pair of reins on him and holding him back," continued Faldo. "Not on this day - we both played some unbelievable golf." The Americans birdied the sixth to stop the rot, but Faldo's fourth birdie came two holes later and they turned in a better-ball 29. Not that they stopped the fireworks there. Woosnam to three feet at the 10th and after Kite won the 11th and Strange the 12th - with birdies naturally - Faldo drained a 15-footer on 13 and although Kite holed from similar range at the next Woosnam had already hit his second to four feet and in went the putt for a five and four victory. "We just dovetailed the whole way around," stated Faldo, who was then able to sit back and enjoy Lyle and Langer beating the previously unbeaten Lanny Wadkins and Larry Nelson for the second time in the day with another thrilling display. Nicklaus commented: "Emotion in golf is fantastic when you're playing well and so far the Europeans have drowned us with it." There were to be some anxious moments on the final day before the colossal overnight lead was turned into victory, Faldo and Woosnam both losing on the last green before Eamonn Darcy edged through against a putter-less Ben Crenshaw - he broke it in anger on the sixth - and Ballesteros scored the winning point against Strange. Nineteen years on Woosnam is captain and Faldo is ready to take over as captain. Both are looking ahead, but they are already very much part of Ryder Cup history.
