Reuters, Saturday June 13 2009 (edited by Cliff)
One of the most successful golfers of all time, Britain's Nick Faldo is to be awarded a knighthood in the Queen's Birthday Honours List.
He was arguably one of the most driven in his quest to reach the very top while in his prime. His work ethic came straight out of the Ben Hogan manual and he piled up 30 European Tour titles, including six majors, before effectively ending his playing days in 2006 to embark on a new career as a television golf analyst.
He has since captained the European Ryder Cup team.
"I was delighted to hear the news that I will be receiving a knighthood and am more than a little bit humbled to have been afforded this great honour," Faldo, 51, said in a statement "I believe I join Sir Henry Cotton as the only other professional British golfer to receive a knighthood so to stand alongside such esteemed company is incredible.
Cotton, who won three British Opens, was knighted in the New Year's Day Honours of 1988, shortly after his death.
In the eyes of many, former world number one Faldo was among the most successful British sportsmen over the last half-century, single-mindedly dedicating himself to becoming golf's top player. He became world number one for the first time in September 1990 and stayed there for 98 weeks.
Despite having won 11 times on the European circuit by the end of 1984, along with a maiden U.S. Tour title at the Heritage Classic that same year, he decided to remodel his swing with coach David Leadbetter to reach a higher level. The move eventually reaped dividends when he hoisted the first of his three British Open trophies at Muirfield in 1987, famously parring all 18 holes in the final round.
Faldo won his maiden Masters title in 1989, beating American Scott Hoch in a playoff, and followed up with victories at the Masters and the British Open at St. Andrews in 1990.
He completed a hat-trick of British Open wins at Muirfield in 1992 where he beat American John Cook by a stroke.
Faldo's sixth and final major success came at the 1996 Masters where he trailed Greg Norman by six shots going into the final round but triumphed by five after closing with a 67 to Greg's 78.
He recorded his ninth Tour victory at the 1997 Nissan Open in Los Angeles but that was to be the last individual title he would win anywhere in the world
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