Nick Faldo, once the No. 1 golfer in the world, was drawn Tuesday to play Darren Clarke of Northern Ireland in the first round of the World Match Play Championship at Wentworth.
The match Thursday will be Faldo's 16th appearance in the tournament, but his first since 1994. Clarke beat Tiger Woods for the title at Match Play Championship in Carlsbad, Calif., last February, but he has not won a match in two previous appearances at Wentworth.
The winner of the 36-hole Faldo-Clarke meeting will play former champion and fourth-seeded Vijay Singh of Fiji in Friday's second round.
Nick Faldo at last weeks Linde German Masters.Allsport.
The top four seeds -- Colin Montgomerie, Ernie Els, Lee Westwood and Singh --have byes through the first round.
The only American in the field, PGA runner-up Bob May, was not seeded and was drawn to play eighth seed Padraig Harrington in the opening round. The winner will face defending champion Montgomerie.
