ADELAIDE Australia AP Englishman Nick Faldo has a blunt assessment of 1998 prior to his win with David Carter in the World Cup of golf last month in New Zealand. ``It has been great for the last two weeks'' Faldo said Wednesday after a practice round at the Australian Open. ``Previously it was lousy. At least it has turned around I can see the light at the end of the tunnel.'' In October Faldo's 12-year marriage to his second wife Gill formally ended in divorce. Earlier in the month Faldo 41 said that he and his American girlfriend Brenna Cepelak were ending their three-year relationship. Faldo has struggled on the US Tour this year but says he has gained confidence after firing mentor David Leadbetter and employing Chip Koehkle. ``When there is a lot flying around it is difficult to feel good about your golf game and focus on it'' Faldo said Wednesday when asked about his problems off the golf course. He feels confident about his chances in the Australian Open although perhaps not as optimistic as Peter Thomson the five-time British Open champion who redesigned Royal Adelaide and has tipped Faldo to win. ``I didn't play very well today so I'll go out later and try to work on some things'' Faldo said. ``The rough is very thick in some places. You can miss the fairway by a yard and you are aiming at a fairway that is 23 yards wide and you are unplayable still 200 yards from the green. I think that is probably unnecessary.'' Faldo says he's working on a few different things under Koehkle. ``The swing has been a bit out of synch the arm and body swing'' said Faldo. ``We have been trying to find what I lost over the last couple of seasons which was the feeling in my right hand through impact. ``It wasn't coming in the same as it used to in the early 1990s. That really was a key for me.'' Faldo admits he's not hitting as many practice balls as he used to. ``I prefer productive practice'' says Faldo. ``Ten years ago I used to hit 1500 a day. Physically I couldn't do that now. I'd rather go down there for an hour and work on exactly what I've got to work on.'' Faldo a three-time U.S. Masters and British Open champion says he has 11 months of golf planned for 1999. ``Next year I am trying to do both tours European and U.S. and make the Ryder Cup team'' said Faldo. ``The goals are still the same being No. 1 and winning events. Winning as much as possible. That's what I want to get back to.'' djp APW19981201.1153.txt.body.html APW19981201.1041.txt.body.html