News And Notes

Should Seve Dump Faldo?

Nick Faldo is considered a lock to be one of European captain Seve Ballesteros's two wild-card picks for September's Ryder Cup, but Faldo's play is raising doubts about the wisdom of such a selection.

Faldo, 40, missed the cut at last week's PGA Championship, marking the first time in his 21-year pro career that he has failed to play on the weekend in two majors. (He also missed the cut at the Masters.) In the other two majors he was 48th at the U.S. Open and 51st at the British Open. "I'm struggling a bit now, but I have no doubts that I can raise my game for the Ryder Cup," Faldo said last Friday after rounds of 75-78 left him 13 over par. "I would do anything Seve asks. If he wants me to go down [to Sotogrande, Spain, the site of the match] the week before and practice, I'll do it."

Ballesteros wasn't at the PGA, but few believe he would dare omit Faldo, who has won more points (he has a 21-16-4 record in 10 appearances) than any other European in Ryder Cup history. "A European team without Faldo is a weaker team," says Colin Montgomerie. "There are very few players who stand one up on the 1st tee [psychologically], but he is one of them." Adds Paul Azinger, "If Seve doesn't pick Faldo, I'll eat my hat."

Even Jesper Parnevik, the man with the most to lose if Faldo is chosen for the team, thinks the gritty Brit should be at Valderrama. With José María Olazábal, another near certain pick, currently in 12th place, Parnevik is running third in a two-man race. "I'm still hopeful that José María will do enough in the last two events to make it automatically," Parnevik says, "but he and Faldo are the players you want on the team."

Ballesteros, who has until Sept. 1 to make his selections, is keeping a low profile. He received a special invitation to play in the PGA but turned it down. "Haven't heard from him for months," Faldo says. Maybe so, but Faldo can rest assured that Seve is watching.

Smith Makes the Most of a Rare Opportunity

Taylor Smith, the sixth alternate, was happy to get into the PGA, but not about the circumstances. He replaced Corey Pavin, who withdrew on Aug. 12 after his father suffered a fatal heart attack. "My wife and I both broke down in tears when we found out," Smith said.

Nevertheless, Smith took advantage of the opportunity. He made the cut with a pair of 71s, then salvaged a third-round 74 with the help of an eagle at the par-4 15th, where he holed an eight-iron from 146 yards. He finished at 10 over par and in 53rd place.

Smith, 30, previously had been best known as the guy who tied Tiger Woods in the Walt Disney World/Oldsmobile Classic last October only to be disqualified for using a putter that had an illegal grip. Smith, who said he received thousands of letters of support and even some $100 checks from sympathetic fans, donated the putter to Christopher Reeves's spinal-research charity, which auctioned it off for $5,000. "Something good came out of it," Smith says.