Controversial changes to Elon Musk’s X platform have encouraged Sir Nick Faldo and wife Lindsay to delete their personal accounts. The most recent update to X has caused a stir among users, many of whom have expressed dissatisfaction.
One such tweak allows users to see one another's content regardless of whether one party may have blocked the other. Golf icon Faldo, 67, also commented that an increase in violent and explicit content had influenced their drastic decision to cut ties.
“After many years of having accounts on what is now known as 'X', we have decided to remove our personal accounts from the platform and will do so by the end of the week,” read the couple’s statement. “While we appreciate the free speech forum that the brilliant Elon Musk has encouraged and developed, we feel the growing number of posts with overly explicit content, including violent images, disturbing videos, and aggressive language, is not of interest to us or healthy for anyone to experience.
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“In addition, the announcement that X will make all posts available to all readers, including those who follow and do not follow accounts and those who have been blocked for cause, has deepened our decision.”
The Faldos will still maintain their company and business-based accounts on X. Those include Faldo Design (their golf architecture brand), Faldo Farm (tracking their farming ventures in Montana) and Faldo Series (a not-for-profit junior golf programme).
They also confirmed they will “continue to engage” with their accounts on LinkedIn, Facebook, TikTok and Instagram. However, Faldo’s days of interacting with fans and other media personally on X will soon be no more.
Six-time major-winner Faldo - who won The Masters and The Open three times apiece - married Lindsay De Marco, his fourth wife, in the Florida Keys in December 2020. The couple spend a large amount of time living on their farmland in Eureka, Montana, after the golf legend called time on his CBS broadcasting career two years ago.
Former United States President Donald Trump appeared at a rally in Montana in August, where he heavily praised the “major golfer” and his “beautiful wife, Lindsay.” However, Faldo quickly distanced himself from the Republican candidate after Trump suggested he’d like to make the Briton a part of his government.
He announced on X that he had “zero interest in and no intention of taking a political position” immediately after that incident. Lindsay - a former topless dancer born in New York - is understood to be a proud Republican.
Following this week's announcement, some X users have bid goodbye to Faldo, many of whom also posted glowing endorsements of Musk. However, others shared their disdain for the recent changes to the platform and posted their support.
