NICK Faldo, not your average middle management golf junkie, can justifiably turn the old golfing aphorism on its head, arguing that the really lucrative business deals are struck off the golf course and not on the fairways.
Consistently getting the ball into the hole in the fewest number of strokes may bring cheers from the gallery but the really big bucks come from the myriad of businesses prepared to pay generously for associating their product with a winner.
The first fruits of Faldo's victory came this week with a five year contract with the Jaguar motor company worth an annual £1 million. This is in addition to existing annual contracts worth a combined £5 million for wearing Pringle clothing, using Mizuno clubs, wearing Audemars Swiss watches and playing with Bridgestone golf balls. Faldo's management company, IMG, has already made him a multi millionaire with an estimated fortune of £30 million. With divorce on the horizon alimony payments should be no problem.
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