Six-times major winner Nick Faldo has no problem with women playing at men's events as long as they can compete.

　　"The bottom line is that if they are good enough to come out and play, fine," the 46-year-old Briton said at Royal Melbourne Golf Club, where he will contest the Heineken Classic starting today.

　　On Tuesday, Australia's twice British Open winner Greg Norman spoke out about the need for officials to put an end to the experiment of women playing in men's tour events.

　　South Africa's world No. 3 Ernie Els said he could not see a future in the trend of women playing in men's tour events.

　　"There will be never-ending questions whether it is good or bad for the game," Faldo said. "Tiger (Woods) has gone quiet. It is amazing. Actually, it is probably good for the game. We've got something to talk about other than Tiger.

　　"I don't think there is suddenly going to be an invasion of a dozen at an event."

　　Faldo said he had been impressed by the performance of 14-year-old Michelle Wie, who narrowly failed to become the first female to make the cut in a men's PGA Tour event at last month's Hawaiian Open.

　　"I thought Michelle's performance was incredible ... to be able to handle that at 14 was quite astonishing with the media and all that attention," he said.

　　Former world No. 1 Laura Davies will become the first woman to play in an Australasian or European men's tour event when the Briton tees up for the ANZ Championship next week at the Horizons Golf Resort north of Sydney.

　　Sweden's Annika Sorenstam became the first woman in 58 years to play a PGA Tour Event at the Colonial in May 2003.

　　Els, meanwhile, had his putter in his hand and had just left the practice green, admitting he was a "little bit off" with it last weekend in Bangkok.

　　Els, bidding for his third Heineken Classic in a row, finished tied for 10th at the Johnnie Walker Classic last week in Thailand. He's expecting much better things this week on one of his favorite golf courses.

　　"I feel I am striking the ball well and pacing myself a little better this year," Els said. "I love this golf course, as you know. It has never looked better."

　　The par-72 composite course at Royal Melbourne is rated one of the world's best, and was the site of the 1998 Presidents Cup where Els and the rest of the International team beat the Tiger Woods-led United States.

　　Since then, Els has done little wrong here.

　　In 2002, he shot a closing 3-under 69 for a 17-under-par total of 271 and a five-shot win. Last year, after closing with rounds of 66 and 65, finished with a 17-under total of 273 and a one-stroke victory over Faldo.

　　Still, Els figures he's lucky to shoot those kinds of scores.

　　"You've got to keep the ball in play off the tee and I've done that quite well," said Els. "The greens are quite an issue, they are very fast, very firm.

　　"It's not like a putting contest out there. If you shoot around par or a little better than par, you are always going to have a good tournament here."

　　Former major winners Norman, Faldo and Ian Woosnam are also entered this week in the Heineken, a joint European and Australasian tours event that begins today.

　　Norman said he's decided to practice more. He's now working with Craig Harmon, brother of Woods' coach Butch Harmon.

　　"I've started to hit a few more golf balls," said Norman. "I've been very encouraged in a very short period of time.

　　"I've had good feedback. My back's not any better, it's almost a day-to-day thing. I want to play (more) if I can."

　　Woosnam, the 1996 Classic winner, missed the cut by two shots in Bangkok. He had a difficult 2003 when a persistent back injury curtailed his schedule and his father and former coach, Harold, died in July.

　　"I didn't have a very good year last year, a lot of things happened, dad died and a lot of things went on," said Woosnam, 45. "But hopefully I can start afresh this year. I'm working hard and trying to see if I can get myself together. I'm trying to go to the gym and work out a little bit and trying to get myself fitter really because my back's not been good for years."