Faldo delighted with top ten finish

Nick Faldo, who tied for eighth place in the British Open on Sunday, is now looking forward to winning a place in Europe's Ryder Cup team to play the United States next year.

"That's my last big playing goal," he said. "From September to September we have the (qualifying) points and I want to play as well as I can for that year. That would be pretty good if I could make that."

The three-times Open champion reached level par during the final round, just one shot off the lead, before three bogeys over the closing holes ended his hopes of winning a seventh major championship at the age of 46.

"I had a good weekend," Faldo told reporters. "I played something like 42 holes in six under and that's probably as good as anybody. That sort of lifts me."

Faldo roared into contention with a round of 67 on Saturday, equalling the best of the tournament, but admitted he struggled to last the pace.

"I need to work on my stamina," he said. "To do great now, to finish something off and win again, I think that would help me to keep that concentration."

Faldo's rise up the leaderboard produced a surge of excitement around the course as the crowd sensed a British victory, and the former world number one received a warm ovation as he walked up the 18th fairway.

"It was brilliant," said Faldo, who raised the hand of his long-time caddy Fanny Sunesson as he walked on to the final green. "I've had 72 great walks, the last 36 got better and better. It was very special."

Faldo only just made the halfway cut after finishing at eight over par following opening rounds of 76 and 74. But he tamed the Royal St George's links over the weekend with scores of 67 and 70 to finish three over, four shots behind surprise winner Ben Curtis.

"It was great, a true links," he said. "Fantastic, hard work, you need a bit of luck on every hole, 18 miracles."

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