His single-mindedness, which was one of the main reasons why he was so successful, alienated enough peers and colleagues to last him a lifetime.

If any evidence of this was needed, his announcement of the Ryder Cup team he will captain in a couple of week's time should have sufficed.

The reaction to his choice of Ian Poulter and Paul Casey as his two wild card picks has been surprising in its severity and ridiculous in its manner.

You would've thought Faldo had committed a crime of some description.

The main bone of contention has been that Darren Clarke and Colin Montgomerie have been ignored despite their impressive Ryder Cup records.

To look at the decision in simple terms, Faldo had two picks of players who failed to automatically qualify.

If Clarke and Montgomerie had qualified then Faldo would have been criticised whoever he selected.

Which brings us back to Faldo's standing among his peers and begs the question: Is the criticism of Faldo's selections or, indirectly, of Faldo himself?