One small step for a professional golfer felt like a giant leap for Nick Faldo yesterday when he finally broke 70 for the first time this season. A three under par 69 in the opening round of the BellSouth Classic in Atlanta still left Faldo six behind pacesetter Duffy Waldorf - and three behind new world number one David Duval - but afterwards he only just stopped short of shouting "Eureka."
Once again most eyes were on Duval, chasing a second successive victory, a fourth of the season and an 11th in 18 incredible months.
He did not disappoint. He was on the green in two at both the 541-yard fourth and 608-yard 10th after an immense 275-yard three-wood second and two-putted both times. Home in 31, however, still left him trailing Waldorf, who equalled Tiger Woods's year-old course record with his nine under par 63.
Waldorf led by one from New Zealander Grant Waite and by two from South African rookie Rory Sabatini. Waldorf was asked if the TPC at Sugarloaf course was good preparation for the Masters and replied with a smile: "It would be if I was in it!" The 36-year-old Californian is not qualified for Augusta - but will be if he wins on Sunday.
For Faldo, five days after slumping to an 83 in the Players' Championship in Florida and four days after being disqualified during the final round for taking a wrong drop, the 69 meant he was a happy man again.
Six birdies, the last of them when he sank a 12-foot putt on the final green, were the reward for his new philosophy of "trust it and do it."
Down at an all-time low of 97th in the world rankings, Faldo said: "It suddenly dawned on me on Tuesday that I should just picture a shot and hit it. Before I was trying not to hit a bad shot rather than hit the right one.
Colin Montgomerie was among the later starters who because of the delay could not finish before nightfall.
He was going well when play was suspended. But he chose to complete the 458-yard seventh after the suspension of play - and bogeyed it to slip back to two under.
He was among 42 players who had to return to the course at 7 a.m. today to finish their rounds before going straight into the second round.
