Even a brief look at the record book shows that choosing the
better
match player is no easy task when the two options available are Britain’s
greatest-ever golfer and Continental Europe’s most inspirational
figure. Nick
Faldo and Seve Ballesteros were the leading players for
the European Ryder Cup
teams of the ’80s and ’90s, helping to make the
previously one-sided competition
one of the world’s premier sporting
events.
Nick and Seve were extraordinarily tough in head-to-head
play, even
if they were very different personalities who had diametrically
opposite styles of play and philosophies. Where Nick was, in his prime,
the
archetypal “fairways and greens” machine who rarely hit a poor shot
and so put
relentless pressure on the other side, Seve was a magician,
always able to
conjure up the recovery shot that could break his
opponent’s heart.
Nick played in 11 Ryder Cups, three more than Seve. Overall,
their
records are eerily similar. Nick recorded 23 wins, 19 losses and four
halves; Seve’s winning percentage was better, with 20 wins, 12 losses
and five
halves.
Then there is Seve’s partnership with Jose Maria Olazabal.
They have
to be the greatest team in Ryder Cup history, with a record of 11-2-2.
What people forget also is that when they were first paired together
back in
1987,
Ollie was just a youngster. Seve, as he had done with Paul
Way in
1983, was asked to almost coach his less experienced partner round the
course, as well as concentrate on his own play. And still he was
successful,
especially in foursomes, golf’s most difficult match play
discipline.
Remember also the influence Seve had on David Gilford during
the
1995 Matches at Oak Hill. At a time when he was struggling with his own
game, Seve did everything but hit the shots for David as they
comfortably
defeated Brad Faxon and Peter Jacobsen.
By this time, any detectives among you will have a wee
inkling as to
where I am headed with what has been a difficult choice. For me,
it has
to be Seve. Nick may have been the better golfer, but match play isn’t
the same as stroke play. Seve was able to dig deeper when it really
mattered.
That extra dimension, for me, makes the difference.
My mind goes back to the 1983 Ryder Cup at PGA National. All
square
with Fuzzy Zoeller, Seve was bunkered in two, more than 200 yards from
the 18th green. He then hit a huge slice with a 3-wood from under a
high lip to
the edge of the green and got half a point. Jack Nicklaus
called it the best
shot he had ever seen and I am not about to
disagree. It was extraordinary,
especially as he used an old Toney
Penna 3-wood that was the size of today’s
putters.
In match play, Seve was the man.
