Gary Player once shared his honest opinion of Sir Nick Faldo as a golfer

Add as preferred source on Google

Gary Player and Sir Nick Faldo are very similar in the sense that they both speak their minds without fear of blowback that may be heading their way as a result of the opinions they’ve shared.

Player and Faldo are two of the most successful golfers in the history of the game.

The South African has won 159 professional tournaments worldwide, including an impressive nine major championships.

Meanwhile, the Englishman has 43 victories to his name with six of those triumphs coming in the majors.

While there are numerous golfers with more PGA Tour wins to their names, Player and Faldo’s incredible records in the majors set them apart from most.

However, Player has been highly critical of Faldo in the past, usually pertaining to the Englishman’s view of modern-day players bulking up in the gym.

What does the nine-time major winner actually think of Faldo as a golfer, though?

Gary Player shared his honest opinion of Sir Nick Faldo as a golfer

Player is often highly critical of golfers who lacked the courage and desire to get over the line when contending in the majors.

However, a weak mentality is something that Faldo can’t be be accused of having.

The six-time major champion was as tough as they come – a sentiment echoed by Player four years ago.

When speaking to British publication The Daily Mail back in 2021, the South African delivered his honest verdict on Faldo.

Player said: “He was tough as old boots. He might not have been the most natural golfer to watch but what made him special was that he refused to be beaten down the stretch.“

Player isn’t wrong there.

When Faldo got the bit between his teeth in the biggest events, the Englishman was a very hard man to beat.

Gary Player vs Nick Faldo: Major records compared

Both Player and Faldo excelled in the major championships.

Here are the two golfers’ records in the four biggest tournaments of the year compared against each other:

Pound for pound, Faldo’s record is pretty much as good as Player’s in the major championships.

The South African and the Englishman are two absolute greats of the game, there is no question about that.