Why Nick Faldo should be given a role at the 2006 Ryder Cup

Why Nick Faldo should be given a role at the 2006 Ryder Cup Last month, one of golf's worst-kept secrets was revealed when Ian Woosnam and Nick Faldo were confirmed as Europe's next two Ryder Cup captains. Ever since last year's incumbent, Berhard Langer, announced that he would not be standing for a second term, it had been expected that Woosnam would get the nod for the 2006 matches at The K Club, with Faldo succeeding him two years later when the match is staged at Valhalla, Kentucky. If truth be told, it is difficult to argue against either choice. Woosnam, a veteran of eight matches, proved his leadership qualities when acting as Sam Torrance's assistant at The Belfry in 2002 and Faldo, with his playing record, has an even stronger claim to the job. He might be busily reinventing himself as a promising TV pundit but remains an active player and, through his association with Justin Rose, Nick Dougherty et al, probably has a better relationship with the up-and-coming golfers than most men half his age. The Ryder Cup committee should be applauded for their decision to appoint Woosnam and Faldo and also for breaking with tradition by announcing two captains at one time. To my mind, the committee might even have gone two stages further and confirmed the captaincy of Colin Montgomerie in 2010 and Jose Maria Olazabal in 2012. But that deflects from core content of this column, and so is probably better left for another time. Suffice to say I am fully supportive of the decision to appoint Woosnam and Faldo. However, had I had a voice on the committee, I would have played the continuity card even more fully by giving Faldo an official job at next year's match. Woosnam, of course, has already announced that he wants an Irishman as his vice-captain, and the chances are he will invite his great friend and former Ryder Cup player, Des Smyth, to fulfil that role. To be fair, he can hardly be criticised for wanting to appoint an Irish assistant for a match to be held in Ireland, but wouldn't it be even better if he also chose to involve Faldo in some official capacity, too. Faldo, for his part, has no shortage of Ryder Cup experience, having played in 11 matches between 1977 and 1997. However, Britain's finest ever golfer has never turned his hand to captaincy and so would surely learn some new tricks acting as some sort of official captain-in-waiting. Equally usefully, he would also gain an inside track on how individual members of Woosnam's team reacted to Ryder Cup pressure, information that might prove be invaluable when choosing his wild cards two years later. Woosnam and Faldo, of course, could never be construed as bosom buddies. Far from it, but have already proved they can operate in tandem, having won five and halved three of the 10 Ryder Cup foursomes and fourballs they played together. The Welshman has stated publicly that he had no difficulty teaming up with Faldo in the Ryder Cup, admitting that he found the unflappable Englishman a calming influence both on and off the course. Faldo, for his part, has also made it clear he valued the partnership. "Woosie and I might be like chalk and cheese off the course," he stated in his recent autobiography. "But, for two days, we operated like a mind-reading double act." Personally, I like the idea of two of Britain's recent Major winners pooling their not inconsiderable talents to repel a focussed American side still smarting at the record 18-9 defeat at Oakland Hills. For that matter, I would not be averse to Woosnam bringing in a bigger back room team than former England rugby union manager, Clive Woodward, should he feel it would help his cause. Sam Torrance was one former captain who decided to enlist an eclectic group of advisers, and very successful it proved. Woosnam, one surmises, must have learned from this tactic. If so, he could do worse than to recruit Faldo, not just for the sake of the 2006 team, but for the benefit of the 2008 side as well.