Nicholas “Nick” Alexander Faldo was born July 18, 1957 in Welwyn Garden City, England. He is a professional golfer on the European Tour, and is one of the most successful in all of Europe. During his long career, Faldo has won three US Masters titles and three Open Championships.

Official World Golf Rankings had Nick Faldo ranked as No. 1 for a total of 98 weeks. Faldo took on a new role in 2006, becoming the lead golf analyst for CBS Sports. Faldo has won 43 events in his professional career, including 9 PGA Tour victories and 27 Euro Tour wins.

In 1971, Faldo watched the Masters as Jack Nicklaus dominated the field. At only 13 years of age, Faldo was blown away at the sport, and decided to take up golfing instead of cycling. He borrowed some golf clubs and his mother began to set up golfing lessons for the boy.

Only two short years later, Faldo was winning golf tournaments. In 1974, Faldo won the English Amateur Championship in convincing fashion. And in 1975, he took the title of British Youth Champion. A young Faldo wasted no time and turned pro in 1976. His first European Tour victory came in 1977.

1977 was the year Nick Faldo became a household name in the world of professional golf. He played in his first Ryder Cup at the age of 20, the youngest to ever compete in the event. Faldo would ultimately play in a record 11 Ryder Cups, and holds the European record for most points earned. Although Faldo was relatively unknown in America, he had made quite a name for himself in Europe, earning the respect of his fellow golfers.

Faldo's youthful appeal and undeniable skill earned the young golfer a good deal of fame in England and various parts of Europe. He often found himself in contention and posted sporadic wins from 1977 to 1983. But it was in '83 that Faldo earned the unflattering nickname of “Fold-o” after contending in so many tournaments without closing them out for a victory. Unfortunately, these “chokes” came in the biggest events, and Faldo's reputation was tarnished.

Undeterred, Faldo decided to work on his golf game, mainly his swing. It was a years-long struggle for Faldo, and he never seemed to find his true stroke until 1987. It was at the '87 British Open that his hard work and natural talent seemed to meet in the middle. Faldo shot 18 consecutive par holes in the final round. His proclivity for choking away the big tournament was no longer brought up.

Faldo's dominant run came shortly after, securing two more Open Championships and three Masters. Faldo's last Master win showcased his remarkable talent. In the final round, Faldo found himself 6 shots behind leader Greg Norman. In one of the most impressive rounds in golf history, Faldo dominated the round and won the match by 5 strokes.