Sir Nick Faldo was reduced to tears on Sunday as he finished his final shift as a golf pundit with CBS.
The all-time great, who famously won three Masters and three Open Championships as a player, joined the American broadcast station in 2006. More than 16 years later, he was afforded an emotional farewell by colleague Jim Nantz, who praised him for his extraordinary career on and off the course.
Faldo, 65, became synonymous with golf coverage in the states, and from 2012 also worked with the BBC during The Open. Despite his reputation for possessing a steely demeanour as a player, he won widespread praise from viewers for his dry humour in the commentary box.
"You've been the best in the world twice, and that my friend is extraordinary," Nantz told him, live on air during the Wyndham Championship in Greensboro. "You did it with humour, humility and humanity."
As the Englishman struggled to keep his composure, Nantz complimented him further by saying: "It's fair to say you led a sea as a broadcaster. May the sands of time be very kind to you, my friend."
With tears streaming down his face, Faldo thanked his fellow workers Nantz, Frank Nobilo and Ian Baker-Finch, before revealing how his stint as a pundit all started: "I'm a single child and I've found, at 65, three brothers. Thanks to all the crew," he said.
"As I affectionately and respectfully call you the workers, they put the pictures out, we do the rattling, we have an easy job. Thank you all.
"I was in a boat in Ireland, and they gave me a call and said, 'How would you like to sit next to Jim Nantz?' and I literally fell out the boat, I really did. That was 2006, and here we are 16 years later."
The Golf on CBS Twitter account also posted a video tribute to Faldo, prompting a flurry of praise from golf fans: "I love you Sir Nick. As a boy I would try to emulate everything you did on the course," replied @bobbytrunole.
"41 wins including 6 majors, and a stellar Ryder Cup career, then a brilliant second act in the booth. Thank you for everything," whilst @prmpar70 posted: "Hard to watch without tearing up. It’s amazing how humanising being in the booth was for him. He was a machine when he played, he was interesting and human as an analyst."
Faldo's wife, Lindsay De Marco, also took to social media to thank CBS, saying: "Let me say a BIG thank you to the entire traveling crew, cameramen, trucks all the talent that worked with Nick. You have been his brothers and sisters for all these years. You are the essence of what is good and true at CBS. We appreciate you all so much."
The Hertfordshire-born star also enjoyed a legendary Ryder Cup stint, having won 25 points for the European Team over a record 11 appearances. However, is 2008 captaincy tenure ended in defeat in Valhalla.
