Faldo one off pace after 65

Nick Faldo stormed into contention with a vintage display in the Alfred Dunhill Championship.

Armed with a new easy-going outlook, the six-times major winner added a superb second round 65 to his opening 68 at Houghton Golf Club to lie just one shot off the lead held by Scotland's Dean Robertson.

The former world number one put on a superb performance with seven birdies and no dropped shots, moving into a tie for second with compatriots Justin Rose and Anthony Wall, South African Des Terblanche, Argentinian Ricardo Gonzalez and Australian Adam Scott.

Faldo admitted his long barren spell without a victory had preyed on his mind but now felt free from pressure with his golf course design business taking off.

The 43-year-old said: "It's four years since I won an individual event (the Nissan Open in America in 1997) so it's been while. It does play on your mind and you start wondering what it feels like to put yourself in that position again.

"But I have nothing to lose now, if it's good it's good, and if it isn't then it doesn't matter because I'm building my pension in a different way, literally.

"I have a free run at it, I just try to keep it nice and simple and not tie myself in knots and let's see what happens over the weekend."

Faldo conceded with a wry smile the amount of times he had been in contention recently were "a bit thin on the ground," and will be hoping for a better outcome than at Loch Lomond last year. One shot off the lead going into the final day, he carded a closing 73 to finish back down the field.

Playing partner Wall, a long time admirer of Faldo, enjoyed seeing the former world number one rediscovering his form and tipped him to win his battle to qualify for the Ryder Cup.

"I get on well with Nick and it's nice to play with him," said Wall whose 64, finishing birdie-eagle, was his lowest ever tournament round. "He seems to have a very good attitude, a bit more mellow.

"I watched him a lot when I was younger and he was awesome, certainly the best sportsman ever produced in Britain.

"He's not quite as good as he was but is still clearly one of the best in the world. His presence is remarkable. People say they wouldn't be nervous playing him in the Ryder Cup but you know he's solid as a rock. He's not going to blow it down the last six holes."

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