Nick Faldo: Six Majors and the Most Technical Swing in Golf History
Nick Faldo won six major championships: three Masters (1989, 1990, 1996) and three Open Championships (1987, 1990, 1992). His career is defined by a decision he made in 1984 that few professional golfers have ever attempted: to completely rebuild his swing from the beginning, abandoning a technique that was already good enough to win tour events, because he believed it was not reliable enough under major championship pressure. The rebuild, conducted with coach David Leadbetter over two years, was the most radical technical overhaul in the history of elite professional golf. It worked beyond any reasonable expectation.
The Swing Rebuild: 1984-1986
Faldo had won on the European Tour and had competed in major championships before 1984. His swing was technically sound by general standards but contained elements — particularly the position at the top and the club path through impact — that Faldo believed would produce inconsistency under the pressure of major championship contention. He chose to address this systematically.
Faldo and Leadbetter worked for approximately 18 months on a complete reconstruction. Faldo's results during the rebuild period were poor — he fell out of contention on the European Tour while rebuilding from the ground up — but he accepted this as the cost of the long-term result he was pursuing. The patience this required, in a profession where short-term results determine earnings and rankings, was the most remarkable aspect of the project.
The 1987 Open Championship
Faldo won the 1987 Open Championship at Muirfield by playing all 18 final-round holes in par — 18 consecutive pars, no birdies, no bogeys. The course conditions that day made par the effective winning score; the other contenders made mistakes that Faldo did not. The victory was the vindication of the rebuild project and the establishment of Faldo as the European Tour's preeminent major championship performer.
The 1996 Masters
Faldo's most celebrated victory came at the 1996 Masters, where he entered the final round trailing Greg Norman by six shots. Norman's final-round collapse — shooting 78 as Faldo shot 67 — is one of the most discussed major championship final-round performances in history. Faldo played the round of his career while watching his opponent unravel, and when Norman made bogey on the 18th green, Faldo put his arm around him and spoke quietly — words that Norman later described as the most genuinely consoling he received that day. The moment of grace between competitors is remembered as clearly as the golf that preceded it.
The Ryder Cup
Faldo is European golf's most successful Ryder Cup player by points won. His record across eleven Ryder Cup teams, combined with his major championship record, establishes him as the most accomplished European professional golfer of the 20th century. His partnership with Ian Woosnam, Bernhard Langer, and particularly with Colin Montgomerie produced some of the Ryder Cup's most celebrated team performances in the event's modern history.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many majors did Nick Faldo win?
Nick Faldo won six major championships: the Open Championship in 1987 (Muirfield), 1990 (St Andrews), and 1992 (Muirfield); and the Masters in 1989, 1990, and 1996. His total of six majors is the European record.
Why did Nick Faldo rebuild his swing?
Faldo rebuilt his swing because he believed elements of his existing technique would prove unreliable under major championship pressure. He chose to address this systematically at the peak of his career, working with coach David Leadbetter over 18 months on a complete reconstruction, accepting poor results during the rebuild process as the cost of a more reliable long-term technique.