Faldo full of praise for Fulke

Nick Faldo today welcomed the emergence of rising star Pierre Fulke as he tried to follow in the Swede's footsteps and qualify for a 12th Ryder Cup.

Fulke's victory in the Volvo Masters at the end of last season and his runner-up finish to Steve Stricker in the Accenture World Match Play at the start of the month have all but guaranteed his place in Sam Torrance's European team.

Faldo believes the 29-year-old Challenge Tour graduate will be a major asset at the Belfry as the Europeans try to regain the trophy lost in such controversial circumstances at Brookline in 1999.

"You don't mind if there are 10 rookies in the team if they're performing as well as he is," said Faldo, as he prepared for the first day of the Alfred Dunhill Championship in Johannesburg. "He's exactly the type of guy the team needs. He is a new face. Nobody knows anything about him - which is very useful."