Golf News: - Posted 20th April 1998

Faldo hits new low

Press Association

Hilton Head Island, South Carolina -  Nick Faldo fired a disastrous final round 83 to finish rock bottom among players who made the cut at the MCI Classic at Hilton Head Island while American Davis Love cruised to his record-breaking fourth win of the event.

Great Britain's Faldo, the three-times Open winner whose form has dipped since claiming his third Masters in 1996, was 12 over for the round and ended up 16 over for the event.

Love, the first four-time winner of the South Carolina event, fired a closing six-under-par round of 65 to win by seven strokes.
The reigning PGA Championship winner finished at 18-under-par 266. His victory margin over runner-up Glen Day breaks the record for the event set last year by Zimbabwe's Nick Price.

"I have had some up and down rounds this year," said Love, whose final 72-hole total was one stroke off the tournament record set in 1996 by Loren Roberts.

"This is a big boost to me and my year. Winning my fourth here is a big thrill." Love also won here in 1987, 1991 and 1992.
Phil Mickelson and Payne Stewart shared third place, 10 strokes behind Love. South Africa's Fulton Allem was fifth with a 277 total.

Nick Faldo's abysmal 18-hole score of 83 12-over was his highest round in 219 PGA Tour events, and it came on the same Hilton Head Island course where he claimed his first tour victory 14 years ago.

He endured a horrible opening nine holes, turning in 45. Faldo had nine pars, seven bogeys, one double-bogey and one triple-bogey for his round.

The Englishman played par golf from the 10th to the 14th, but he bogeyed three of his final four holes.

Faldo's last tour victory was the Los Angeles Nissan Open almost 14 months ago.