Faldo breaks 70 at last

Nick Faldo has been around golf long enough to know that one half-decent round does not constitute a comeback. Or even the start of a comeback.

But the 41-year-old was thinking positively as he resumed the BellSouth Classic in Atlanta today after posting his first sub-70 round of the year in the opening round yesterday.

It was not so much the score itself - a three under par 69 - that had Faldo excited.

And nor should it since American Duffy Waldorf began with a course record-equalling 63 to lead by one from New Zealander Grant Waite and by three from new world number one David Duval.

But Faldo was delighted to execute his plan to picture a shot and then do it as in his mind's eye.

"I'll go and have a tuna sandwich to celebrate," joked the 41-year-old, whose slump to world number 97 reached its nadir last week in the Players' Championship when he went from sharing the lead after nine holes to a Saturday 83 and then a Sunday disqualification for a wrong drop.

"It suddenly dawned on me on Tuesday," said Faldo, who wants to be able to go to Augusta next week believing he has a chance of a fourth green jacket, however slim that may be with Duval playing the way he is and Tiger Woods hell-bent on recapturing the Masters title.

"I've been trying not to hit a bad shot, whereas I should be concentrating on trying to hit the right shot - and today I did.

"There were a few scary ones, but that round was what I needed."

The tournament was trying to make up for lost time today after losing two hours to fog yesterday morning and Colin Montgomerie was among 42 players back at Sugarloaf ready to tee off at 7am to complete their first rounds.

Montgomerie had joined Faldo in joint 20th place with a third birdie of the day on the long sixth - his 15th - but just had time for one more hole before play was suspended and bogeyed it.

It dropped him alongside Ian Woosnam instead, the Welshman being pleased overall with his 70 after switching to a cack-handed putting stroke on his third hole and incorporating a swing tip from New Zealander Frank Nobilo.

Standing more open and then moving the ball back in his stance a touch has got Woosnam striking in the sweet spot again and he too was hoping to go from strength to strength this afternoon.