'Pure talent is not enough. You need the technical side of the game, the physical side and the mental side to succeed'
Nick Faldo has already booked his return ticket to Hong Kong next month. It will be one of his most important visits since he first jetted into the territory back in 1979, for he will be presiding over the inaugural Faldo Series International Trophy.
'Leading young golfers from Europe, Britain and Asia will play in Hong Kong in mid-January in what is the inaugural Faldo Asia Series. It will be a two-day tournament for both boys and girls. I hope this is the start of a Pan-Asia series,' Faldo said yesterday.
A regular visitor to Hong Kong in recent years - he tees off today in search of his first Omega Hong Kong Open title - Faldo will return in a few weeks to Fanling where, with the help of the Hong Kong Golf Association and the Hong Kong Golf Club, he will oversee a 36-hole contest for around 50 invited youngsters.
The six-time Major winner says this is his way of giving something back to the game, and to help budding golfers gain the knowledge that took him the better part of three decades to acquire. The programme is underwritten by Faldo and is funded entirely through sponsorship.
'Pure talent is not enough any more to help you win today. You need the technical side of the game, the physical side of the game, and the mental side to succeed. Tiger [Woods] had a lot to do with it. He made all these three departments important and golfers today need to understand this. My role is to help them do that,' said Faldo.