Faldo sets up Roman-style base

Nick Faldo has moved into a new £2.5million home with fiancee Valerie Bercher just days before he returns to the European Tour to compete in the Volvo PGA tournament at nearby Wentworth next week.

Faldo,43, a six times major championship winner, has been supervising building work at the pink-walled mansion in Old Windsor, where the couple will hold their reception after their register office wedding in July.

Valerie, 27, whom Faldo met while competing in the Canon European Open in Switzerland three years ago, is reported to be delighted with the property which is a grade II listed building first erected in 1750 in 5.5 acres.

The couple are waiting for planning permission from the local council to build an outdoor Roman-style pavilion with life-size busts of Greek and Roman characters.

It will be Faldo’s third marriage. He split from first wife Melanie in 1984 after five years of marriage and fell for second wife Gill and they have three children Natalie (14), Matthew(11) and Georgia (7). In 1995 he set up home in Weybridge with US golf scholar Brenna Capelak but ended their relationship in favour of his stunning Belgian-born bride-to-be when he took her for a meal at the Crans Sur Sierre tournament.

Faldo also has homes in Switzerland and Florida and is keen to win back his place in the Ryder Cup. As well as the Volvo event which starts on Friday week, he plays in the Scottish Open at Loch Lomond and the Open Championship at Lytham, which he has won three times.