By Rob Hodgetts BBC Sport at Carnoustie

Faldo hates not being able to be competitive

"Only one word for that. Legend."

Just one view from the massed galleries at Carnoustie, but the general warmth shown for Nick Faldo suggests the Englishman is still very much "the man" in these parts of Scotland.

With Jack Nicklaus bowing out in 2005, Tom Watson attending his daughter's wedding and Seve Ballesteros retiring on Monday, Faldo - along with Tony Jacklin - was playing the elder statesman role at the Open.

And the six-time major champion bowed out of what may - just may - become his last Open Championship on Friday. But, typically, he refused to go down without a fight.

Faldo turned 50 on Wednesday and struggled to an opening 79 to equal his worst ever Open total, before grinding out a face-saving two-over 73 to comfortably miss the cut.

Faldo's TV commentary work for CBS and the Golf Channel, and his burgeoning course design business, mean little tournament golf these days.

And he opted not to play in this year's Masters at Augusta, scene of three of his major titles (1989, 1990, 1996), through lack of competitiveness.

"When you haven't played much each swing feels different, the body aches after one round and you make so many strategic mistakes - just hitting wrong clubs," said Faldo, who won the Open in 1987, 1990 and 1992.

"That kind of burnt me on Thursday. Playing like that is not enjoyable. You've got to ask yourself what are you doing this for?

"But I played a bit smarter today [Friday]. That's the great thing about this game. You play a bit better and it cheers you up and you think, maybe I can hit a few shots."

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Faldo's days as a real golfing force are long over, at least on the regular Tour. He last won in 1997 in America.

But Europe's next Ryder Cup captain will make his seniors debut in the Senior Open Championship at Muirfield next week, venue of two of his Open triumphs, the first exactly 20 years ago.

And despite his fading talents, the Scottish crowd still willed the old master on. His arrival on Carnoustie's first tee was greeted with throaty cheers, well above the norm this week. And he floated down the first fairway on a soundwave of "C'mon Nicks".

All the old trademarks were still there. Muttering to himself as he went about his pre-shot routine, the twitches, the waggles. The swing is distinctly Faldo, though shorter than in his prime and a bit more restricted on the follow through.

He was invariably much shorter off the tee than playing partners Carl Pettersson and Trevor Immelman.

And early on at least, there was some banter on the tees, the iceman of old replaced by a more human side. Age and the absence of a competitive focus seem to allow Faldo to give more of himself.

But there were glimpses of the classic Faldo, the island that needed to shut everyone else out to win six majors.

Now and then, he could be seen marching down the fairway with one partner or another, but with that faraway stare apparent even through the shades, and an impenetrable barrier seemingly put up.

Faldo has had his son Matthew as his caddy at Carnoustie

To us mortals he still plays a mean game of golf, but the inner perfectionist is having a tough time reconciling the advancing years.

With each poor shot the frustration is clear. He drops his club or leans on it, looking despairingly at the sky. His shoulders slump, the head drops and he walks dejectedly up the fairway like Atlas on a bad day. He clearly hates this public exposure of his oncoming frailties.

But there are moments of inspiration, too. A shot out of the top drawer that flicks up the familiar Faldo wave, almost by instinct. And sometimes even when there is no applause. A signal, perhaps, that the inner voice approves.

At times, his experience shines through and he stands like a patient father tolerating his keen but green young sons, as Immelman and Pettersson carefully stalk each putt from every conceivable angle.

Faldo is willed on by his own son Matthew, his caddie, but the old campaigner is a foil to the teenager's youthful optimism.

"Matthew's great. He says things like, 'Come on dad, we can still get a birdie here'," said Faldo.

"I reply, 'Matthew, we're in a ditch."

Faldo picked up back-to-back birdies to rekindle the flame on the way home but his goose was already cooked.

He did, though, receive rapturous applause from the grandstands around the final green, with many fans wondering whether they would see him again at the Open.

"We'll see, we'll see," was all Faldo could offer his followers.

His immediate focus turns to Muirfield where memories of his wins - and some more realistic competitive juices - will come flooding back.

Faldo will line up against stars such as five-time Open champion Watson, South African legend Gary Player, former US Open and Open champion Jacklin and other major winners such as Mark O'Meara and Wayne Grady.

"The names are pretty good playing next week," he said.

"I've just got to concentrate on my putting between now and then. That's the key thing. If I can get some confidence in that, it will be a big boost."

He will continue to strive for perfection as long as he plays golf because that's the way he is. But win or lose, Faldo is still box office. Carnoustie showed that.