Pairings named as Faldo orders ‘sandwich list’

NICK Faldo’s “sandwich list” was back in the news again yesterday as the European captain announced his pairings for this morning’s foursomes at Valhalla.

On Wednesday, Faldo claimed a list of initials he had scrawled on a piece of paper and was photographed by a cameraman referred to the team’s luncheon requirements and had nothing to do with his Ryder Cup plans. Well, that little piece of spin was exposed for what it was yesterday when all four pairings in the note were named for battle in this morning’s foursomes except the playing order was altered.

In fairness, he was able to laugh when the issue was raised and we saw another side of the Faldo psyche when his eyes visibly welled up when he was asked what meeting Muhammad Ali out on the course had meant to him.

“It was just an incredible moment, I thought it was very special”, he just about managed to say before later adding: “I’m just about there with emotions already this week. I need to get it out somewhere”.

Faldo’s foursomes line-up meant that Graeme McDowell, Miguel-Angel Jimenez, Soren Hansen and Oliver Wilson would have to sit out the opening session but the first three will almost certainly go into action in the fourballs that begin at 5.45 Irish time. Wilson, for his part, may have to bide his time.

Informed that Paul Azinger intended to play all 12 of his players today, Faldo was pressed on his strategy. He wasn’t prepared to give anything away except to state that “I’m not going to make any promises or assumptions. Paul and I have difficult decisions to make. We have to put in our teams for the fourballs before the foursomes have finished. The gut reaction in the morning will decide”.