Faldo and Azinger do lunch at Augusta

2008-04-09

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By Mark GarrodSpecial to PA SportsTicker

AUGUSTA, Georgia (Ticker) - Nick Faldo had lunch with opposingRyder Cup captain Paul Azinger at Augusta on Wednesday - 24hours after saying "there''s no beef between us at all".

What was on their plates is not known, but the meeting was achance for the two to discuss the weekend''s events when Azingertook shots at Europe''s captain.

Faldo has already tried to stamp out any controversy since thepublication of Azinger''s comments.

"We''ve spoken several times and we''ll probably go fishing at theend of the Ryder Cup," Faldo said

In the Mail on Sunday, Azinger had a harsh assessment of Faldo.

"The bottom line is that the players from his generation andmine really don''t want to have anything to do with him," he toldthe paper.

The American later said he had an "open and friendly"relationship with Faldo and added that the spirit of hiscomments was taken out of context.

"I spoke to Nick. It doesn''t surprise me that this sort of thinghas happened," Azinger said. "Nick and I have dealt with themedia our entire career and we are burned by the media at times.But Nick and I are friends and we''ll be friends after the RyderCup matches are over.

"I can see where the tabloids would try to turn it into a ''Nickvs. Paul'' Ryder Cup."

The whole incident was a bit surprising considering the duoworked together to strong reviews as analysts for ABC Sports''golf coverage. The network decided not to carry PGA Tour eventsafter the 2006 season so Faldo joined CBS Sports and will be inthe booth this week at the Masters.

While the captains are taking turns making news, at least oneplayer is not buying into the hype or controversy.

"You know, I think Paul is going to be a great captain, exactlywhat the U.S. Team needs, and that''s honest. I think he''s goingto help them a lot," Irishman Padraig Harrington said. "I thinkNick is going to be a great captain. I do believe it''s going tobe a great match. I don''t believe the players have anyantagonism to each other.

"I think we get on, we play so much together. If there''s beingsomething drummed up in the press, I don''t subscribe to it.Paul, he definitely will want to win. He''s a strong character.But it''s not coming from the players."