Nick Faldo admits memories of Muirfield are too strong as he confirms he will play in the 2013 Open Championship "I've been fighting this for years," Faldo said. But I was in the gym on Monday, and it suddenly just hit me. I thought, "Come on, this is one more walk," and I'll probably never get a chance to walk again at Muirfield. If I can just get over the hurdle and say to myself, "What will be, will be," I can just go play and enjoy the shots." These are realistic ambitions for the golfer whose legendary drive and work ethic took him to six majors. Faldo will reappear at Muirfield as a far softer character. No golf journalist will ever forget how, in his victory speech in 1992, Faldo allowed bitterness to define the moment of his Open hat-trick by declaring he would like to thank the press "from the heart of my bottom." "It's for Matthew [who at 23 will caddie], it's for my kids," said the father of four. We can go, have an enjoyable week and soak up the old memories. Now, I've got just over two months to get myself to pretend that I'm a golfer. Any apprehension on Faldo's behalf was completely understandable as he looked on at an extraordinary Players Championship. To think that Tiger Woods lowered his own record halfway total at Sawgrass by a staggering six shots and still did not hold the lead. That had everything to do with Sergio García. he Spaniard led the world No1 by a shot on 11-under as they set out in their delicious two-ball. It is fair to surmise that the pair do not get along; they have not since a 19-year-old Garcia pointed a club in Woods's direction as he tried to chase him down in the 1999 USPGA Championship. He ultimately failed on that occasion and, in truth, had never come any closer. Indeed, in Woods's company García usually crumbles. In the six previous times they had played together at the weekend, Woods had shot the lower score on each occasion. Of course, most famous of all was the final grouping on the 2006 Open at Hoylake, when Garcia wore a yellow costume. After destroying him by seven shots, Woods sent a text out to his friends - "I just whopped Tweetiepie ..." Could Garcia exact a little revenge, could the 2008 champion add to the 2001 champion's recent Sawgrass woes? Woods has not recorded one Players top 10 in the last decade. But he was hunting his third win in his last four events - perhaps the more relevant stat? "I'm driving well, hitting my irons well, my distance control is good, my short-game is really solid and I'm making my share of putts," Woods said. I'm pleased with every facet of my game. In a tie for third on nine-under came Lee Westwood, the Englishman whose short-game seems transformed since his move to America at Christmas. Rory McIlroy was three further back, playing his first shots here on a Saturday after three previous early exits. With Masters champion Adam Scott also in the frame, this was not a cut to miss. Louis Oosthuizen showed what remained possible with a 67 yesterday morning. It took the 2010 Open champion to five-under and gave him a share of Sawgrass history. The South African equalled the record of six birdies in succession with his run from the ninth and had a chance for a seventh with an 11-footer on the 15th. Alas, it slipped by.