Three-time former Open winner Nick Faldo set about justifying his invitation into the Scottish Open with a two over par 73 at Royal Aberdeen.
Despite an opening hole double bogey Britain’s most successful golfer fought back to complete the remainder of this round in level par with four birdies and just as many bogeys.
It left the soon-to-be 57 year old trailing nine shots behind Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy who shot a new course record of a seven under par 64.
Faldo has not played full time on the European Tour since 2004 after capturing 24 regular European Tour titles commencing in 1977 with his Skol Lager Invitational success at Gleneagles and ending with the third of his Masters triumph in 1996.
And while Faldo won three of his British Open titles in Scotland, in 1987 and 1992 at Muirfield and 1990 at St. Andrews, the now full-time TV analyst has never tasted success in a Scottish Open.
However Faldo is competing at Royal Aberdeen not looking to win the event but to attain links experience ahead of next week’s British Open at Royal Liverpool and in what will be his 36th consecutive Open Championship appearance since making his debut in 1976 at Royal Birkdale.
“I am here this week because I love the game of golf,” he said.
“They were kind enough to give me an invitation.
“But then last year I played The Open Muirfield straight out of the box, and I hadn’t played competitively for three years.
“I thought if you are being smart, let’s play a couple before The Open so at least I don’t arrive next week at Royal Liverpool completely cold.
“I played last week and now this week, and you are learning a few more little bits all the time. Still learning.
“So every day feels a little easy, but it’s still a little scary. I don’t like facing shots I haven’t even got close to practicing.
“But then I’m less than a part-time golfer but you still want to play good. That’s why I’m playing, to see if I can have a good day or two.”
Though Faldo will head to next week’s 143rd Open having missed the cut in golf’s oldest major for the past five years.
His best finish at Royal Liverpool, where Tiger Woods won last at the course in 2006, was missing the cut that same year, and with the previous time the course hosted the British Open being in 1967.
