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Woods and Faldo make up as Open tees off

20/07/2006

Tiger Woods and Nick Faldo have sought to defuse the tension surrounding their relationship by shaking hands ahead of the start of the British Open.

The pair have been grouped along with Shingo Katayama to tee off at Hoylake at 14:39 BST, but after a highly public spat concerning comments made by Faldo when working for American television, expectations of a tense round had steadily grown this week.

Faldo criticised Woods' new swing during the Buick Invitational last year while commentating for ABC, causing a rift between the former Augusta champions.

Indeed, earlier this week Woods said the two would be unlikely to exchange small talk and said he did not even know if they would shake hands.

However, during a practice session at the Royal Liverpool Golf Club the pair were seen to shake hands and share a few words, undermining reports that sparks might fly between the two during the tournament.

The news had picked up momentum of its own with leading bookmakers offering odds on the two shaking hands and even coming to blows.


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