Faldo threat will be a matter of course

If not quite a case of the pupil attempting to usurp the master, and some would say that fortunes have changed in the decade since their first meeting, Padraig Harrington has no false illusions about the task facing him when he takes on Nick Faldo, a six-times major winner who is 74 places beneath him in the world rankings, in the first round of the Cisco World Matchplay Championship at Wentworth today.

That first encounter, 11 years ago, survives in the memories of both players. Harrington, then a 19-year-old dispatched with Paul McGinley by the Golfing Union of Ireland to attend what was known as the "Faldo Masterclass", recalls that he was met by Faldo who could only play shots one-handed after sticking a fork between his thumb and fore-finger in attempting to open a tub of chocolate chip ice cream. "But the thing that really struck me," said Harrington, "was his size. He seemed huge to me."

Such a perception was helped by the awe in which Faldo, the reigning British Open champion, was then held by his peers, let alone a star-struck teenager.

For his part, Faldo yesterday admitted that, in all honesty, he couldn't have forecast back then that Harrington would develop into the player that he has. "I remember that I was deeply appreciative that the GUI had made the effort to send two of their best young players, but there was no way you could recognise just how good they'd turn out to be," insisted Faldo. "And I remember that I inflicted so much damage on my hand that I could see the tendons!"

Such nostalgic musings were, in fact, quite appropriate given that the absence of any Americans in the field this week has led to a number of unexpected call-ups to the 12-man field for fortysomethings like Seve Ballesteros, Ian Woosnam and Sam Torrance - although Harrington, for one, wouldn't be surprised to discover that most of the crowds on the opening day latch onto the match between Ballesteros and Torrance, Ryder Cup captains past and present.

His main concern, though, is how to cope with Faldo, who readily admits that the West Course is like a second home to him.

"The tougher the course, the better Nick plays," said Harrington. "You could say that I have an advantage over him in length, but the best part of his game is hitting long irons - and maybe he doesn't want to be hitting wedges in. I've never played him in a matchplay but I know from playing with him in tournaments that he is a good guy to play with, he is quiet and goes about his business.

"Maybe I am the slight favourite on form, and the match being over 36-holes should help, but its not like Nick won't last the pace because he is 44. He is probably fitter than anyone on the tour," said Harrington, who also believes that he will benefit from recent laser surgery on his eyes, especially in fading light, instead of having to rely on contact lenses that tended to dry up on days that required 36 holes of golf.

Harrington has been working on a slight swing adjustment with his coach, Bob Torrance, for much of the past month. "It involves getting the shoulder plane a little steeper and the hands a little higher rather than so deep . . . basically, it means remaining stiller on the swing, but it has been something psychologically that I hadn't been able to grasp until last week," he explained.

While Faldo's reputation around this course (he has reached five matchplay finals, winning two, as well as winning the Volvo PGA) should be sufficient to ensure caution on Harrington's part, and Faldo did take Clarke to the 40th hole last year in the first round, the Dubliner is anticipating head-to-head combat with some relish. "All the players love playing this format, but you wouldn't like to do it every week. It is so frustrating. I played some great golf against Colin (Montgomerie, in the quarter-final) last year and still lost."

If he does manage to overcome Faldo in today's first round, then Harrington's reward would be an all-Irish encounter with Darren Clarke, who is one of four seeded players to get a bye into the quarter-finals.

"He beat me in the 1990 Irish Close final and in the semi-final of the South before that . . . but it would be a lot more of a level footing this time round," remarked Harrington, eyeing such an encounter with obvious relish.

First he has to overcome Faldo.

Yet, no matter what anyone else does on the course today, much of the crowd are likely to be sucked into watching the combat between Ballesteros and Torrance, two players from Europe's golden era.

"That's the match that I would follow, if I was a spectator,," remarked defending champion Lee Westwood.

And what of the quality of the field, no Americans and a player ranked 1,187th in the world - Ballesteros - competing?

"Well, the US Open champion and leader in the Order of Merit is not among the top four seeds," retorted Westwood, of Retief Goosen's inclusion amongst those playing on the first day. All of which only suggests that the top end of the field has quality, and that the bottom end has nostalgia.

But matchplay can do strange things, all of which should put Harrington, as well as the other young guns, on their guard.

The draw

9.00 & 1.00: T Bjorn (Denmark) v A Scott (Aus) - winner to play L Westwood (Eng).

9.15 & 1.15: R Goosen (SA) v I Woosnam (Wal) - winner to play C Montgomerie (Scot). 9.16 9.30 & 1.30: P Harrington (Ire) v N Faldo (Eng) - winner to play D Clarke (Ire).

9.45 & 1.45: S Torrance (Scot) v S Ballesteros (Sp) - winner to play V Singh (Fij).