Alliss would, I think, be the first to admit that he doesn't know it all. You wanted to say `It's OK, leave it alone'."The saga started when Alliss said something slightly critical about Faldo and the golfer, asked for his response, sneered at those who climb a few steps to a commentary box and think they know it all Or words to that effect. It was like Damon Hill, with a perfect car, saying `let's just put an extra puff of wind in the tyres'. Although I've never understood why he took his game to pieces. Under pressure he still has that little flaily loop at the top, and we've never known what he would have achieved if he hadn't rebuilt his swing I couldn't understand why he was always tweaking things. "I would like an Englishman to win, and if not, a British player, and if not, a Continental. I must say I would like to see Seve have a good Masters, as well as Norman, Lyle, Woosnam and Faldo."A couple of years back it was said that Alliss and Faldo loathed each other.
Their supposed feud was built up to the point that it was a surprise to see them at the same tournament without duelling pistols Mostly stuff and nonsense, insists Alliss. "We never failed to send each other Christmas cards," he says "And I admire him enormously. So what about this year? My own feeling is that of our three best hopes, Montgomerie wants it too badly, Westwood doesn't yet want it badly enough and Faldo can't nail the crucial eight-foot putts any more Alliss is less specific. I suppose the secretary might wander out and say `can I help you?' But in America there are probably 300 golf clubs where you can't get up the drive Golfing snobbery is in its infancy here... Its infancy."In other respects, though, the gap between American golf and British golf has narrowed.
Not so very long ago the idea that a British player might win the Masters once was absurd enough, let alone three different Brits - Faldo twice, Woosnam and Lyle - in four consecutive years. They say `no, I don't want to play, I just want to take a look' I say `you can't'. They don't believe there are guards, and that you can't even get up the drive There isn't one golf club like that in the UK Even at Muirfield you can drive up and have a look around. In other words, numbers lazily wander through the 1s, but dash through the 9s.Benford's Law is now being exploited by Californian tax officers.
I think sometimes he has trouble understanding that he's a lovable person.Nick's a very spiritual person So am I, although I pretend I'm not I use the word "futility" a lot which really annoys him. That's the sort of thing I would do, and I felt a real sense of warmth and tenderness. He was clean and I wasn't, and when we first met I don't think we particularly got on. I appreciate the ones like Sebastian, who understand that and don't take offence.SEBASTIAN HORSLEY: We met four years ago, when I was trying to get off with Nick's girlfriend, and I invited him out to dinner. I generally like that in people, especially when their attempts to become other than they are can be epic. He's also very entertaining and generous to a fault.Certain friendships come and go, but I honestly think ours will remain. Yorkshire-born Sebastian Horsley, 37, an artist, was ejected from St Martin's School of Art.
Comments are closed.