Faldo wants another chance at Ryder Cup captaincy

The six-time major champion winner Nick Faldo would like another chance to lead Europe at the 2010 Ryder Cup.

Nick Faldo was criticised for his leadership skills when Europe were defeated in the Ryder Cup in September.
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BEIJING // The six-time major champion winner Nick Faldo would like another chance to lead Europe at the 2010 Ryder Cup, despite the team slumping to their first defeat in nine years under the Englishman's captaincy. Under Faldo, Europe suffered a 16½-11½ defeat to the United States at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky, in September, its heaviest defeat since 1981. It prompted harsh criticism of his captaincy in the British media.

"I enjoyed it so much that week, it really was a great experience," the Briton said. "If somewhere down the line there's another opportunity to be captain, I would seriously consider it." Faldo is among six former major champions teeing off at the co-sanctioned Hong Kong Open tomorrow, including fellow Briton Paul Lawrie, the German Bernhard Langer and the Spaniard Jose Maria Olazabal. Dubbed 'Captain Calamity' in some elements of the press, Faldo was chastised for sending out his big guns at the bottom of the order with Europe trailing 9-7 on the final day.

He was also criticised for overlooking the Ryder Cup stalwarts Darren Clarke and Colin Montgomerie as his two wild card picks, opting instead for Ian Poulter and Paul Casey. Faldo would need to overcome a strong bid from the double major winner Sandy Lyle, who Montgomerie has backed for the captaincy. Montgomerie, who has ruled himself out of the captaincy race in an attempt to play his way into the team, reiterated his support for his fellow Scotsman.

"I think it would be a shame if Sandy did miss out. It appears that it is just a one-hit deal right now, so it would be going against, it would show a precedent if Nick was to do that again," Montgomerie said. The Scot, 45, said that he felt confident going into this week's Hong Kong Open, an event he won in 2005, despite a run of poor form that has seen him tumble out of the world's top 100 this year.

"I still feel that without question, I should be in the top 50. It's just a matter of proving it, mainly to myself," he added. *AP