Golf: Faldo proves fitness

ALWAYS one to pursue perfection as far as possible, Nick Faldo pushed himself through a series of tests designed by the British Olympic Association's medical experts yesterday to establish his overall fitness.

The world's No 1 golfer underwent body-fat, endurance, flexibility, strength and concentration tests at the BOA's medical centre in Harrow, doing best in strength ('legs as strong as a downhill skier in short bursts') and concentration ('similar to elite Olympic shooters from the former East Germany').

Faldo, who leads the world rankings released yesterday, will work on a specially designed upper-body programme before being tested again in three months' time.

SONY WORLD RANKINGS: 1 N Faldo (Eng) 21.00pts; 2 G Norman (Aus) 19.44; 3 B Langer (Ger) 17.12; 4 F Couples (US) 15.11; 5 N Price (Zim) 15.05; 6 P Azinger (US) 14.87; 7 I Woosnam (Wal) 12.04; 8 T Kite (US) 10.39; 9 D Frost (SA) 10.04; 10 D Love III (US) 9.91; 11 C Pavin (US) 9.52; 12 P Stewart (US) 9.37; 13 M Ozaki (Japan) 9.24; 14 J-M Olazabal (Sp) 9.04; 15 C Montgomerie (Scot) 8.74; 16 J Cook (US) 8.57; 17 V Singh (Fiji) 8.51; 18 S Elkington (Aus) 7.70; 19 M McNulty (Zim) 7.55; 20 L Janzen (US) 6.78; 22 S Ballesteros (Sp) 6.35.

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