Seve Ballesteros – Golf Legend

By May 9, 201110 Comments

Seve BallesterosFive-time major winning golfer, Seve Ballesteros, has lost his battle with cancer at the age of 54. Ballesteros’s illness initially came to light after he collapsed at Madrid airport in October 2008. Since that day the Spaniard had gone through almost continuous chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatment. In 2009, after his fourth chemotherapy course, Ballesteros labelled it “a miracle” he was still alive. Sadly though, his condition in recent weeks had been deteriorating and he was admitted to hospital in Madrid last Wednesday. The fight against two malignant brain tumours proved to be too much and on Saturday morning, Seve peacefully passed away.

Ballesteros was seen by many as the man who pioneered European golf overseas, and his legendary status was secured following a glittering career during which he won the hearts of golf fans around the world. All in all Seve won an astonishing 87 titles in his career that included two US Masters titles and three Open Championships. He was also the first ever European to win at Augusta. On top of his individual triumphs, Seve played in eight Ryder Cups, claiming 20 points from 37 matches. He also captained a successful European side on his home soil when the Ryder Cup visited Valderamma.

As impressive as his achievements are, it is impossible to do Seve justice by just focusing on tournaments won and records set. Equally important was manner in which he played the game. He was a man who turned a sport based on accuracy, repetition and consistency into what it should be: a matter of bravery, creativity and risk. Seve was loved by so many because he was seen as a genius. His creative brilliance was repeatedly called upon to overpower the more erratic parts of his game and it did so time and time again in truly swashbuckling style.

Following this devastating loss, we have seen fit to celebrate this golf legend by taking a look at the great Seve moments that brought joy to so many around the world.

Open Championship 1984

More than any other golfer before or since, Seve served up thrills and spills that left the golfing world in awe. His genius around the greens and ability to make birdies from places where most would settle for bogies brought joy to the world of golf. Seve’s joyful reaction to holing the winning putt on the 72nd green at the 1984 Open at St Andrews is an image that will never fade from the history books.

Car park Champion – 1979 Open Championship

At the 1979 Open Championship Seve was labelled as the car park champion. In his early years on tour Seve was a fearless player whose ball often found places on the course that are perhaps best reserved for wildlife. Seve often played a different course from the rest of the field. Such wild driving would see other players rack up bogey after bogey but that never seemed to matter to Seve. Perhaps the best example of this came at Royal Lytham when Seve’s tee shot on the 16th hole in the final round strayed so far from the fairway that he wound up playing his second from an area used as a car park for the tournament. In true Seve style he went on to birdie the hole and win comfortably by three.

Valderamma Ryder Cup – 1997

For much of the 1980’s and 90’s Ballesteros was a mainstay and often the spearhead of the European Ryder Cup team. His partnership with Jose Maria Olazabal remains the most successful l partnership in the competitions history. Fittingly, Seve was awarded the captaincy for the 1997 Ryder Cup matches, which were played on his home soil in Valderamma. In an era when American golf was much stronger than it is now, Seve inspired his players over the first two days and they held a commanding lead going into the singles on Sunday. The USA rallied but Colin Montgomerie secured the cup in the final match of the first Ryder Cup to be held in Continental Europe.

First European Masters Champion – 1980

Before Seve, the Masters at Augusta was largely dominated by players from the USA and there had never been a winner from Europe. In fact, Gary Player was the only overseas player to win the Masters before Seve came along.  At the tender age of 23, Ballesteros arrived in Georgia looking to end the USA’s strangle hold on the green jacket. He went on to blitz the course and duly became the youngest ever champion and paved the way for overseas players in the USA.

Seve’s triumphs were more than just personal achievements to the world of golf. He paved the way for other Europeans to succeed where previously they had failed. He is seen as the catalyst for the current resurgence in European golf and many of the top players in the world today will testify that he was the reason for them taking up the game of golf. His swashbuckling style and infinite charm, coupled with achievements and what they stand for surely make Ballesteros the greatest European golfer of all time and one of the true greats. He will be sorely missed.

Seve…thanks for the memories.

Please not that for every booking Your Golf Travel recieves in May 2011, £1 will be donated to the Seve Foundation. We hope to raise as much as possible and have set a target of at least £10,000.

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Rory

Rory

The resident golf geek at Your Golf Travel. Have been lucky enough to have travelled far and wide playing golf and if I’m not writing about it at work, you will probably find me hacking it around my local course. Owner of 2 holes in one and some of the most crooked drives you have ever seen!

What's in my bag?
Srixon ZX5 Driver
Srixon ZX7 irons
Srixon ZX 2 iron
Cleveland RTX Zipcore 52 & 56
Cleveland Fullface 60
Odyssey O Works Red #7 putter

www.yourgolftravel.com/ygt-rory

10 Comments

  • Adam Green says:

    Fitting tribute to a great man. Will be remembered every time a golfer hits one out of the trees and onto the green.

  • Brian Gogarty says:

    Sevvy came onto the golfing scene when I was about 13, – he was 19 then. My first memory of him was playing against Jonny Miller in 1976 I had only started to play golf and the inspiration that I got from watching his swashbuckling / bravado golf style was exhilarating. There has never been anyone like him since who made golf such an exciting game to watch, or play. I even bought my first putter and it was exactly like his at the time. With profound respect I say keep your Tiger’s and McIlroy’s – in the modern game there was never such a great player – and every professional should bow down to him because without Seve they would still be trying to get “appearance” money!! I hope he enjoys a game of golf with Snead, Locke, Jones, Vardon and Hagan – and yes he’ll probably beat them all, even if he can’t keep it out of the clouds.

  • Golf Blog says:

    @Brian Gogarty – thanks for your comments. What a great game of golf that would be Seve Vs. Bobby Jones, both amazing putters – wonder who would’ve won in their prime.

  • Gordon Hindley says:

    I remember watching Seve for the 1st time on that 18th green at St Andrews holing THAT putt! I never had played golf before but after watching that I was curious enough to pick a club and I can honestly say that I was bitten thereafter. Another memory was again at Lytham in 88 when Price hit his approach in the final round only for Seve to follow it by hitting the flag and landing inside his, he looked across at Price as if to say this title is mine, Price didn’t dare stare back looking straight ahead, Seve had him and the chip on 18th well what can you say! His never say die attitude has spurred me on in my life ever since and as a fellow Arien I have to say I ve shared all of his attributes on the golf course (some good and bad) without ever being as brilliant as he was at getting up and down from anywhere! I sicerely hope when he is laid to rest tomorrow they don’t bury him in sand as he may just suprise them as he always had the last word! God bless you Seve you are and always will be my sporting hero!

  • craig hardman says:

    i have always looked at sevy as my idle and inspiration,he was just simply the best,will be forever missed,i recently visited st andrews and seve was all over the dunvegon pub walls,he was a master of golf

  • Annette flower says:

    I have just taken up golf at the age of 56 – My grandfather played with Harry Vardon in the 1911 British Open in Sandwich in Kent. My mother was a keen golfer and Seve was her favourite – I too play with a very brave heart – I need to as our championship course here in Tenby is very difficult for the beginner – Im doing ok and even won through to the final of the Bronze cup last year, and have just had my handicap dropped to 32!!! I may not be young, but I am brave and I will always admire the brave golfer – what Seve has been through must have taken alot of bravery and we will all miss him I’m sure. Annette Flower (Grandad was Charles Trapp) if anyone has any knowledge of him I would be delighted to hear from them.

  • As a photographer for the Daily Mail I saw Seve win two of his Open Championships [at Lytham & St Andrews], and found him to be charm personified – not only talking to the press, but to all who came into contact with him. As a golfer he was probably one of the most talented shot makers ever.
    I have a very similar picture to the one above on my wall to remind me of one of nature’s gentlemen – a man with enormous talent and also a man of great humility.

  • Tahir says:

    Superb tribute to the Zorro of the golf world. A legend who will be sorely missed but forever remembered.

  • Chris Young says:

    The passing of Seve is devastating.There has never been and never will be such a great golfer as Seve. I think every golfer will miss him, I certainly will.
    R.I.P Seve.

  • Andrea Scammell says:

    What a great loss – not only to the golfing world but to everyone who has an ambition in life and manages to see it through.
    For the elder generation and the young he was an inspiration. His short game was just amazing.
    Long life his memory and his foundation.

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