GOLF: There were shades of the past master in Nick Faldo's stirring afternoon fight against New Zealand's Michael Campbell in the first day of the World Matchplay Championship at Wentworth yesterday.
Failing light halted the match at all square after a whopping 42 holes of golf, eclipsing the established matchplay record of 40 holes last equalled by Faldo and Darren Clarke in 2000.
When a birdie attempt by Faldo on the sixth play-off hole (the second) kissed the inside of the cup before spilling out, Faldo tapped in and signalled for time.
In its 39-year history of world matchplay spanning some 384 matches, this was an epic of new horizons. Graham Marsh and Gary Player sparred for 40 holes in 1973 and, six years later, Isao Aoki and Seve Ballesteros had a similar marathon match. Those records were equalled two years ago but yesterday's game leaves the record live in that it has yet to be concluded.
The players are scheduled to resume the match this morning at 8.15 a.m. on the 17th, denying the thrilled English home crowd the pleasure of a classic conclusion. The second last at Wentworth represents a treacherous tee shot to approach cold in the morning dew.
"Yeah, just enough time to go home and get a few hours' sleep and start again," smiled a slightly dazed Campbell afterwards. "But that's the way it is. I have never experienced anything like that, even at junior or amateur. And there was some good quality golf too. We both birdied 17 and 18 in the play-off. Though for a great match to be decided in a one-hole play-off it is probably a bit unfair. Maybe a three or four-hole play-off would be better suited."
So there will be a dawn descent as the home crowd, excited by Faldo's renaissance, will arrive in numbers in the hope that all his big-match experience will come to bear in this high-pressure, isolated hole of golf.
Faldo's comeback was measured and climactic, with Campbell two up with just four remaining. Campbell had a four-foot putt to win the match on the afternoon 16th but when it didn't drop, the Englishman seized the initiative with all the icy resolve of his great years.
Elsewhere, the first day was more pedestrian. Padraig Harrington will duel with Ryder Cup colleague Sergio Garcia in the second round following a hard-earned win over Canadian Mike Weir yesterday.
The Irishman finished 4 and 3 after breaking free midway through the afternoon round. Consecutive birdies on the eighth and ninth of that round put conclusive daylight between the players and brought a fluidity to Harrington's play which had been absent for most of the morning session.
"Well I definitely could have bogeyed eight and nine and ended up birdieing each of them," he mused afterwards.
A wayward tee shot on the ninth left Harrington on the edge of woodland. It resulted in a brave seven-iron approach that whistled through a cluster of trees obscuring his view. Although the line was true the ball skipped off the rear of the green and back into the rough. With a horrible lie, however, Harrington made a beautiful chip from 50 feet that curled perfectly for a birdie from heaven.
He emerged from the foliage to rapturous applause wearing a sheepish smile. Although Weir bravely emulated that score with a 22-foot birdie putt of his own, there was a definite bounce to Harrington's step as they approached the home nine.
"Yeah, I felt very good after those two birdies, I was feeling very positive about winning the match," he conceded later.
From there he surged ahead, birdieing the 11th, 12th and 14th as Weir's challenge faltered.
Colm Montgomerie overcame some early stutters after lunch, when Fred Funk gobbled up his three-hole lead. Monty survived to win 3 and 2 while Vijay Singh faced down Justin Rose, winning by just one hole to book his place in the second round.
"These are very long days, these," noted Monty afterwards. "You know, you are up at 6 a.m. and driving here and lunch is half an hour and you are out. They are very long days."
Hardly as long, however, as the night Campbell and Faldo will have just endured.
