Faldo rises early for birthday challenge

125TH OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP: Big-hitting Daly looks beyond Royal Lytham's narrow fairways as he prepares to defend title

On the occasion of his 39th birthday, Nick Faldo will rise with the gulls and the German deckchair population at 5.30am, probably consume three Shredded Wheat and arrive at the course at 6.30, an hour and three minutes before his tee time. Once again the Englishman has been installed as favourite to win the Open Championship for a fourth time, and who are we to argue with the men with bulging leather satchels.

Indeed, from his comments when on the Lancashire coast this week, everything seems to be coming up roses in Faldo's garden, particularly as his management team have uncovered a dastardly plot which could have scuppered his chances of winning the 125th Open before he had even begun. The plan was for Faldo and his American girlfriend Brenna Cepelak to stay in a private house here. Somehow the tabloids discovered the address and duly rented the property next door.

They may not have actually drilled holes in the wall but it is safe to assume that Faldo's privacy would have gone out of the window, lace curtains and all. However, an estate agent tipped off IMG, Faldo's management company, and the favourite was surreptitiously moved to a secret address. Disaster averted.

"I'm hitting the ball well and everything is coming together," Faldo said. "I enjoy Lytham. It's an accuracy links, so many pot bunkers. You can make a good score on the first 12 holes and, depending on the weather, hang on to it. I'm relaxed and I've got a feel of the links." The weather is halcyon and Royal Lytham is going to need more than its 185 bunkers (82 of them over the last six demanding par fours) to keep the field at bay.

While most of the players have been practising with friends, wagering side bets in the process, Faldo has been flying solo. He thinks that the winner on Sunday could be 14 under par or better. He won the English Amateur Championship here in 1975. "That was the first big one," he said. "It was the start of my career and I have good memories from that."

Faldo also made his Ryder Cup debut here in 1977, partnering Peter Oosterhuis to victories in the foursomes and fourballs and defeating Tom Watson by one hole in the singles. Because of the size of the gallery following him, the Lancashire Constabulary have assigned Faldo his own police protection, a WPC.

Seve Ballesteros also has a penchant for Lytham, of course, winning the Open here in 1979 (aggregate 283) and again in 1988 (273). Eight years ago he finished with a 65 to deny Nick Price. "I'm very grateful to this place. Great memories," Ballesteros said. "I think I won here because of my short game. The greens are small and everyone is going to miss a lot of greens. Chipping and putting is going to be important. In 1979 I was famous as the man who won the Open from the car park. It took me eight years to get rid of that."

Before arriving here, Ballesteros watched videos of his Lancashire hot shots (all he needed was a soundtrack from Gracie Fields) in an attempt to rediscover the missing link. "I try to pick up any details that I'm not doing now to see if I can inspire myself. I'm proud to see what I did. although I'm sad that I can't be youthful for ever. When I watch the films it gives me confidence to try and win again. I know it's difficult, I know it's eight years later and my game at the moment is not as good as before but it's possible. I believe that." When he walked on to the second hole, he saw a sign, in Spanish, reading: "Seve Please Win Again". It was the same sign that he saw here in 1988.

John Daly, the defending champion, sounded as if he would prefer to be back at St Andrews, the scene of his play-off victory over Costantino Rocca 12 months ago. Incidentally, Rocca, who is bigger in America than he is in Roma, has been invited by the International Olympic Committee to carry the Italian flag at the closing ceremony in Atlanta.

"The fairways are so narrow here I think you can count me out of hitting any," Daly said. "There's more trouble and a lot more bunkers. If I hit my driver I've still got to avoid some bunkers, whereas at St Andrews I didn't have to worry about any bunkers. I felt I could fly right over them."

He, too, has been to the movies and has watched his triumph at the home of golf at least 10 times. "I don't know how I'm going to play," Daly said, "but the good thing about this course is that if you miss it long, it's an advantage. Every hole has an out, apart from the par threes." No American professional has won the Open at Lytham, although the great amateur Bobby Jones took possession of the old silver claret jug in 1926. In the year of the general strike, Jones's aggregate was 291, and he wore a tweed suit to boot. Had he worn it this week he would have suffered from heat exhaustion.

Meanwhile, watch your bets. Statto, of Fantasy Football League fame, wanted to back Paul Eales, who is attached to Lytham, at 125-1 and was told the odds were 16-1. The bookmaker thought he was talking about Els. Two outsiders in particular catch the eye. Steve Stricker, making his Open debut, is attractive at 28-1 to finish leading American. Stricker, from the non-golfing state of Wisconsin, has won nearly $1m (pounds 645,000) on the US Tour this season, recording wins in the Kemper Open and, two weeks ago, the acclaimed Western Open near Chicago. Faldo and Greg Norman missed the half-way cut there.

Ricky Willison, who is first off this morning, is in great form. Seventh in the Irish Open a fortnight ago, he had a blast in the final qualifying at Fairhaven (par 74) with 69 and 65 - 14 under par. Willison, who turned pro at the ripe old age of 32, won the English Amateur Championship in 1990 after preparing for the tournament by playing on the sands, a la Red Rum, at Southport. He has been doing a similar thing here.

Willison looks a better bet than Colin Montgomerie, who yesterday wore an air of exasperation. Monty, promoted to world No 2 after winning the Irish Open, shot 81 in the final round of the Scottish Open last Saturday and said his swing had been blown apart by the gales. He decided to have only one practice round here, after which he declined to be interviewed on the grounds that he needed to do some more work on his game.

The three-times winner Jack Nicklaus may have to withdraw from the Open, according to the 1963 champion, Bob Charles. The two arranged a practice round together yesterday, but Nicklaus, 56, was late in joining the New Zealander as he needed treatment to his back. Charles said that Nicklaus may pull out and would make a decision this morning.