A decade ago, Nick Faldo was the man who moved into a fifth gear . . . and left most players in his wake, especially in the majors. Now, a new icon has arrived, and Faldo is among those unafraid to confess that Tiger Woods has moved "into a different league".

"He's thrown all the old myths out of the window, that you can't physically train for golf, that you can't be strong or you're going to lose your touch. He has moved into what I would call a sixth gear, and players like Lee (Westwood) and Darren (Clarke) have got to find a way to join in," said Faldo.

The Englishman, a big supporter of junior golf through the Faldo Junior Series which is run throughout Britain and Ireland, threw out an appeal to all young players to take a leaf out of Woods' book. Maybe the "I am Tiger Woods" television advert has had an effect. "I'd like to be 15-years-old again and think if you work hard physically, technically and mentally for the next five years that you could get to that level. But this is something that has happened through the 1990s through science. It shows you can train for golf, and it is a message to all young teenagers out there. They have to stop eating doughnuts, get out there and grasp all this knowledge and work on it."

As someone with six majors to his name, three British Opens and three US Masters, and a player who dominated the game for 10 years from 1987, Faldo can appreciate more than most what Woods has achieved in his few years as a professional.

"He's a man in control of his game. Over the past year or so, Tiger has done a great job in turning things around and no one has worked harder," he insisted.

So, what have the rest got to do if they are to be serious and consistent challengers?

"Well, the days when someone could just play on flair and personality are gone. Tiger's blitzed all that. Now, anyone who is serious about chasing Tiger has got to work harder than ever, has to get a good coach to help him, and they've got to go out and chase him. There is no point just sitting back. If you are going to compete with and beat Tiger, you have to be out there doing as much if not more than he is."

Faldo, whose record 18-under-par total in a British Open was beaten by Woods yesterday, added: "All credit to Tiger. He's coped with all the bumps and bounces that you get around this course. He's a man in control of his game and his shot-making skills are magnificent. He's got a wonderful inner confidence and a great repertoire of shots. When you have that, you know you can go for things and pull them off."

Question is, can anyone imitate the new master?