As British Open beckons, Nick Faldo still the coolest guy in the room

Nick Faldo turns 50 on Wednesday, on the eve of a British Open that he’ll both play in and analyze on the TV broadcast.

How many 50-year-olds do you know who are still the coolest guy in the room? Faldo is even as he reaches the age that will let him play on the pathetic Champions Tour.

When I encountered Faldo at the LPGA Championship, he was wearing black jeans and a black polo (like he was still in the late 1980s) and everyone still flocked to him. Especially lady fans. Not that he paid them much mind.

How many guys do you know who can be players in black jeans today? Faldo dresses like TravelGolf.com’s high school teacher turned road weeper RonMon and still brings a Wilt Chamberlain scoring ability.

Of course, this is all blase for Faldo. This is the guy who had a hot University of Arizona golfer go ballistic on his Porsche with a nine iron several years ago when he broke up with her. For another hottie. Who’s now his third wife. Faldo was only 18 years older than the Wildcat babe.

For more on the guy who’s gone from being the most interesting (and hated) golfer in the world to one of the best TV listens, stay tuned to WorldGolf.com this week. Faldo talks about why Europeans are showing all the fight and fire of a soggy cupcake in majors these days. He also reveals how the LPGA and the Golf Channel tried to push a false story about him “choosing” to broadcast a women’s major over a regular PGA Tour event.

I’m also interested to see who Jeff White, our expert on the European Tour, picks to win The Open as those across the pond obnoxiously call it. If White goes with a European golfer, we’ll know he’s spent the weekend in Amsterdam.