Sir Nick Faldo was knighted by the Queen at a ceremony at Windsor Castle on Tuesday.
Faldo, Britain's most successful golfer of the modern era, won six Majors over the course of his 30- year career, including three US Masters titles and three Open Championships.
He also won the European Order of Merit twice and collected 30 wins on the European Tour.
"The Queen said: 'You've been in the game along time'," Faldo revealed. "I said:'Yes, ma'am - for 30 years'.
Nick Faldo career gallery
"When I found out in the summer (about the knighthood, my first thought was of riding my bike through the woods to the golf course when I was just starting out."
When responding to which Major victory was most special, Faldo said: "They all mean a hell of a lot. Majors are like children, it's impossible to pick, but the first one is special because you finally break through."
In 2008, Faldo captained the European Ryder Cup team in what turned out to be a heavy loss. But, over the course of his 11 appearances as a player, he amassed a record 23 points and helped European to victory five times.
He is only the second golfer ever to be knighted by the queen, the first being Sir Henry Cotton in 1987.
Faldo, 52, rarely competes on the European Tour these days, instead spending time on his Faldo Series and golf course design.
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