Nicholas Alexander also known as Nick Faldo was born on July 18, 1957 is considered to be undoubtedly the best and the most successful European golfer ever 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 finishing 8th on the European Tour Order of Merit in 1977 and 3rd in 1978 and winning a European Tour event in each of those seasons. In the former year he became the youngest player to appear in the Ryder Cup at the age of twenty one. Faldo was one of the leading players on the European Tour in the early 1980s, and he topped the Order of Merit in 1983.

In the late 1980s and early 1990s Faldo was one of the very best players in the world. He won the Open Championship again in 1990 and claimed it a third time in 1992. He also won the Masters Tournament, which is also one of golf's four major championships in 1989 and 1990. He spent time at the top of the Official World Golf Rankings and claimed the European Tour Order of Merit a second time in 1992. That year he had worldwide earnings of '1,558,978, a world record.

Faldo was named the PGA TOUR Player of the Year in 1990, and the European Tour Player of the Year in 1989, 1990 and 1992. He has won 29 European Tour titles. As Faldo entered his forties his form gradually fell away and he devoted more time to off course activities. The last season that he played fairly regularly on the PGA Tour was 2001. He refocused on the European Tour, but played less than a full schedule. His last top 10 finish in a major to date, and probably his last of all, was tie for eighth place at the 2003 Open Championship. As of July 2005 his European Tour career earnings are just under ?8 million and his PGA Tour earnings are over $5 million.

Written by
David DuVal