Seve

Mister Sifter

Hope the great man is ok...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/golf/7655919.stm

Just on the final few pages of his autobiography at the moment... really good read!

Adiaga 2

Very sad to see that. Hopefully it's nothing too serious and he makes a full recovery.

I enjoyed his book too.

Sandwich

I was a big fan. I dont think anyone today get the same crowd support - crowds follow Tiger to see the greatest golfer ever. Crowds followed Seve for the entertainment and because they wanted him to win.

Shocked at how appaling his Ryder Cup record is tho:eek:
Amazing to think how linked he is with Europe's success in it when you actually see how poor his contribution on the course was.

stockdam

Hopefully it's nothing serious.

Seve stands beside the likes of Nicklaus, Player, Palmer, Hogan, Snead, Hagan, Woods.....oh and yes Faldo.

He wore his heart on his sleeve and was one of my "heros"......although he did bark at me once for taking his photo.

Mister Sifter

Sandwich wrote: »

Shocked at how appaling his Ryder Cup record is tho:eek: Amazing to think how linked he is with Europe's success in it when you actually see how poor his contribution on the course was.

Very harsh to say it's appalling... he was part of 5 winning teams and one of the key reasons for America's dominance being halted. I think he is probably the main reason that the Ryder Cup is what it is today.

20 wins from 37 matches, only 12 lost, 22.5 points overall. That's far from appalling if you ask me. Fair enough his singles record was average, but he was awesome in Foursomes. For the way he played the game, that's a very good record in my book.

Sandwich

Graeme1982 wrote: »

20 wins from 37 matches, only 12 lost, 22.5 points overall. That's far from appalling if you ask me. Fair enough his singles record was average, but he was awesome in Foursomes. For the way he played the game, that's a very good record in my book.

Appalling maybe a bit harsh alright. BBC say he won 20pts.Bit better than 50%,seems at odds with how his personality drove the teams.Maybe its just my bad memory.....

Mister Sifter

Sandwich wrote: »

Appalling maybe a bit harsh alright. BBC say he won 20pts.Bit better than 50%,seems at odds with how his personality drove the teams.Maybe its just my bad memory.....

Think it was 20 wins, 5 halves and the rest defeats. It's interesting in his book how would up he used to get at things. He last half of the book is basically a rant about all the things/people that peed him off over the years.

Good to see his mate Olazabal coming back this weekend... would love to see him get back to near his best!

madds

Read his book 6 months ago and whilst a good read, I got the impression that Seve felt he could do no wrong, be it on the course or off it, e.g. in his private life, he was never to blame.

His Ryder Cup career started in 1979 iirc, a time when the US team had the likes of Nicklaus, Zoeller, Miller, Kite, Watson, etc. playing for them. It would be interesting to see what Seve's win/loss ratio was pre and post 1985, when Europe started becoming a lot more competitive.

PhilipMarlowe

Seve Ballesteros (1979-83-85-87-89-91-93-95)

No.|Total Matches|R.C Records W-L-H|Singles W-L-H|Foursomes W-L-H|Fourballs W-L-H|Total Points Won|Point %
8| 37| 20-12-5| 2-4-2 |10-3-1| 8-5-2 |22.5 |.59


1979 (away) won 1 from 5
1983 (away) won 3 from 5
1985 (home) won 3.5 from 5
1987 (away) won 4 from 5
1989 (home) won 3.5 from 5
1991 (away) won 4.5 from 5
1993 (home) won 2 from 4
1995 (away) won 1 from 3

madds

Thanks Licksy. So '79, '93, and '95 saw less than satisfactory returns from Seve. His "domination" of golf started to slide around '91 so those results are not surprising. I suppose Seve's main contribution to the teams in the 90's were his motivational powers.

stockdam

His record other than the first year is pretty good. Look at his fourball and foresomes record.....that's good.

Adiaga 2

No doubt Seve played a huge part in turning the RC in to a much more competitive event than it had been before his involvement. I think his record in it is way better than good too. And just look at the record of Europe's current number 1 player. Seve brought passion back into it and can rightly be proud of that. The number of tournament victories he had is truely amazing though and that's what makes him(imo) Europes best ever golfer. His style of play, true passion for the game and his charisma are just the icing on the cake.

JerryHandbag

Not good news about Seve, diagnosed with brain tumour.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/golf/7655919.stm

RedorDead

Not good news for Seve - hopefully its treatable.

I have brain tumour, confirms golf legend Ballesteros

MADRID (AFP) — Spanish golf legend Seve Ballesteros, a five-times major winner, said Sunday he has been diagnosed with a brain tumour.

"I inform you that after an exhaustive check, that was realized at Hospital La Paz, a brain tumour has been detected," the 51-year-old said in a statement issued by the hospital.

"During my career I was one of the best at getting around obstacles on golf courses. Now I want to be the best at confronting the most difficult match of my life with all my strength," he added.

Ballesteros said he will undergo a biopsy on Tuesday and then doctors would decide on a course of treatment.

He collapsed unconscious on Monday and was taken to the hospital where he remained in intensive care while doctors conducted tests.

Hospital officials released a statement on Friday confirming the Spaniard had suffered "a partial epileptic fit" but said he had left intensive care and was in "a stable condition."

Ballesteros won the British Open in 1979, 1984 and 1988 and became the first European to win the Augusta Masters in 1980, a title he repeated in 1983.

He was an influential figure in the Ryder Cup, winning 20 points from 37 matches and captaining Europe to victory at Valderrama in 1997.

He collected 87 titles before knee and back problems forced him to retire last year.

Known for his flamboyant and imaginative style of play, he won one of his three British Open titles by playing a shot from a temporary parking lot.

Denis Irwin

Get well soon Seve

One of the all time greats of the game

stockdam

Let's hope it's not too bad and he comes through this. A great man.

Mr.Nice Guy

I was saddened to hear of this. Here's hoping he makes a full recovery.

whatawaster

hope he can recover from this. Never heard anyone with anything but great things to say about Seve.

Ruu_Old

Get well soon, legend.

copacetic

Seve stable after brain operation
Seve Ballesteros was in a stable condition after an operation yesterday to remove a brain tumour, the Spanish golfer's doctors said today.

"The operation, with the objective of a resection of the detected brain tumour, started at 9am and concluded without complications," a statement from Madrid's La Paz hospital said.

A resection refers to a procedure to remove as much of a brain tumour as possible before radio- or chemotherapy.

The statement added that Ballesteros was conscious, in a stable condition and had been transferred to intensive care.

The 51-year-old was taken to the hospital last week after suffering dizziness and a brief loss of consciousness. On Sunday the five times major winner said he had a brain tumour.

Today's sports daily Marca reported that the operation lasted 12 hours but did not say if the tumour was malignant or benign.

Ballesteros's office in his native Santander declined to comment and the spokeswoman for his family was not immediately available.

Ballesteros is one of the most gifted and charismatic players to grace the game, known for conjuring flamboyant rescue shots that saved him from often wayward drives.

When he won the British Open in 1979, he was the youngest player to do so in the 20th century. He won the title again in 1984 and 1988 and twice captured the US Masters.

-Reuters

ports best

i had the pleasure of meeting him last year at the seve trophy in the heritage he is truly a great man, hope he is ok

stockdam

Get well soon Seve.

mike65

One of the greats, though even at his peak I recall him threatening a few windscreens in the carpark, at Portmarnock I think it was.

Mike

f22

When you have Seve's ability fairways are overrated.

Who needs them when you can stitch it from the middle of a car park.

Legend!

madds

Looks like things are more serious than first feared. Seve's undergone a 12-hour op to remove as much of the tumour as possible. Still no word on whether it is benign or malignant. Hopefully the former.

Seve 'stable' after surgery

flanzer

Not good news from Spain. Come on Big Man

http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/World-News/Ballesteros-Brain-Tumour-Golf-Legends-Health-Worsens-Following-Biopsy/Article/200810315122399?lpos=World_News_Carousel_Region_4&lid=ARTICLE_15122399_Ballesteros_Brain_Tumour%3A_Golf_Legends_Health_Worsens_Following_Biopsy

Seve Ballesteros's health has reportedly taken a turn for the worse following surgery on his brain tumour.

The Spanish golf legend is undergoing more surgery to ease a build-up of fluid in the brain, said the hospital treating him. The 51-year-old, who collected 87 titles before knee and back problems forced him to retire last year, underwent surgery on Tuesday to remove the tumour.
"Forty-eight hours after his operation, the patient Severiano Ballesteros suffered a loss of consciousness because of a cerebral oedema and had to undergo a decompressive craniectomy," said Madrid's La Paz Hospital in a statement.
Ballesteros is in intensive care where his condition is described as "stable and under control".
He was taken to hospital after he collapsed and briefly lost consciousness at Madrid airport on Monday.
He announced the next day that he had been diagnosed with a brain tumour and would undergo a biopsy before doctors decided on a course of treatment.
Ballesteros won the British Open in 1979, 1984 and 1988 and became the first European to win the Augusta Masters in 1980, a title he repeated in 1983.
An influential figure in the Ryder Cup, he won 20 points from 37 matches and captaining Europe to victory at Valderrama in 1997.
Known for his flamboyant and imaginative style of play, he won one of his three British Open titles by playing a shot from a temporary parking lot.

slumped

met the gent at the PGA Centenary dinner in Burlo in 2001 - wonderful man.

signed autograph and and chatted with fans for a while

GET WELL MAN!

stackerman

Great golfer and competitor.
Get well Seve, thoughts are with you.

Denis Irwin

Ballesteros showing signs of improvement:

Seve Ballesteros remained in intensive care on Wednesday but is showing signs of improvement, La Paz hospital confirmed.
The 51-year-old five-time major winner has had two operations on his brain since the diagnosis of a tumour earlier this month and is being kept under sedation.
The first operation was to remove as much of the tumour as possible, with a second operation needed days later to relieve pressure that had built up on his brain following the initial procedure.

A spokesperson for the Madrid hospital said: 'They let him wake up for a short while.
'He reacted well and then they put him back under sedation again.
'As hours go by it means a bit of recovery.'
Ballesteros is an immensely popular figure in the world of golf, and messages of support continue to pour in from all over the world.

http://www.rte.ie/sport/golf/2008/1022/ballesteros.html

Good to hear.

stockdam

I think it's not looking good again. I believe he needs another operation.

copacetic

stockdam wrote: »

I think it's not looking good again. I believe he needs another operation.

yep, 3rd op on Friday, sad news.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/feedarticle/7915827

madds

I don't like the sound of this (from copacetic's Guardian article above) -

Five-times major winner Seve Ballesteros is suffering from a rare type of brain tumour that is usually fatal, a medical expert said on Thursday.
Madrid's La Paz hospital had earlier revealed the Spanish golfer has an oligoastrocytoma, which is a tumour composed of two types of brain cell -- oligodendroytes and astrocytes that cover and protect the nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord........Most patients with the most serious grade four condition die within 12 to 18 months but a hospital spokesperson declined to say what grade of tumour Ballesteros had.

Aidric

This story is developing into a really sad one. One of the games true legends and gentlemen. I hope he makes a recovery.

JerryHandbag

Come on Seve, keep fighting it man, it all really saddens me to see my fave boyhood sporting hero in this way

who_ru

Very good news indeed:




Golfing great Seve Ballesteros is continuing to make good progress following a third operation to remove a brain tumour.

Madrid's La Paz hospital on Monday released a statement which said the 51-year-old was conscious, breathing unaided and communicating with relatives.

Ballesteros underwent a lengthy procedure on 24 October to alleviate pressure on his brain caused by an edema and to remove remaining tumour tissues following two previous operations.

'The patient Mr Severiano Ballesteros continues to progress favourably,' read the hospital statement. 'He is conscious, breathing spontaneously and can talk with his family.

'He has begun to receive rehabilitation treatment in the intensive care unit.'

Ballesteros, the five-time major winner, was diagnosed with a tumour after losing consciousness at Madrid Airport early last month


You can't keep a good man down eh?

Delighted to hear some positive news on Seve - keep it going now and you'll be back in shape soon dude.

mike65

Thats exellent, 3 ops in any circumstance was massivly risky, he could have lived but been rendered "less than he used to be" so to speak.

Mike

Mister Sifter

Seve Ballesteros has confirmed he will begin a fourth round of chemotherapy this weekend as he continues to battle a cancerous brain tumour.

The five-time major winner has revealed test results from his third stint of treatment confirmed he could go ahead with a fourth round.


'After completing a third round of chemotherapy, blood tests yesterday confirmed I can go ahead with the fourth round which will start this Saturday,' he said on his website today.

'My spirits are still high.'

conno16

the man is a legend and one of my main sporting heroes

JCDUB

Keep the faith Seve, I have my fingers and toes crossed for you my man.

Here's hoping this round of chemo goes well for him.

Mister Sifter

Champion golfer Seve Ballesteros says life has given him "a second chance", in his first interview since undergoing emergency brain surgery last year.

Speaking to Spanish sports paper Marca, he offered an emotional thank you to thousands of well-wishers in Britain.

The five-times major champion says he has made good progress in his recovery, but still has a long way to go.

"The way I look at it, this is the biggest battle of my life," he said. "This is the sixth major."

Ballesteros spoke about the "tremendous shock" of being diagnosed with a cancerous brain tumour in October last year after collapsing twice during a trip to Madrid.

Photographs taken at his home in northern Spain show a scar on his right temple - evidence of the four life-saving operations he underwent.

'Very loved'

Ballesteros, who has won 87 career titles - including three British Opens and two US Masters - appeared notably thinner, and his hair was short from ongoing chemotherapy.


He now weighs 75kg (165lb), same as when he won his first Masters aged 23

But he came across as typically determined, recalling that his first words after the initial operation were: "I always win".

Describing a regimented daily routine of exercise and cognitive therapy, he said: "If I think about it objectively, I have been lucky... The proof is that I am alive and that I can do many things, that I can talk, that I can think perfectly."

He said he had found the post-operative treatment "incredibly hard" at times and had had some low moments.

Having received over 300,000 messages of support, the 51-year-old singled out British fans for special thanks.

"The UK is my second home," he said, "and the people have always made me feel very loved."

Ballesteros said he recently picked up a golf club for the first time in five months: "I wasn't too bad," he joked.

He described his road to recovery in golfing parlance.

"It is the longest par-72 in the world, this is the truth," he said. "This has to be admitted and faced."

Mister Sifter

There's a fascinating interview with Seve on his website... it can be read in two parts... http://www.seveballesteros.com/

I'm pretty sure these pix and interview were done before the 4th round of the therapy, but can't be totally sure.

I've uploaded the pics here...

WHIP IT!

Thanks Graeme. He looks quite well.

Mister Sifter

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/golf/8118699.stm

Golfing great Seve Ballesteros has spoken publicly for the first time about his recovery from brain surgery.

The 52-year-old five-time major winner endured four operations after a tumour was diagnosed last October.

Speaking at the launch of the cancer research foundation in Madrid that will bear his name he said: "Nine months ago my life was hanging by a thread.

"Now I call myself Seve Mulligan," he added, referring to the golf rule which allows a second chance to play a shot.

As a player, the Spaniard was famed for his ability to conjure sensational recoveries from precarious positions on the golf course.

He retired from golf in 2007 after continual back problems, and has needed even greater powers of resolve to withstand extensive chemotherapy and surgery to remove the tumour on the brain, which was diagnosed after he collapsed twice in Madrid.

"This is like a dream. It was very tough at the beginning, it was tough to believe what was happening to me," he added.

"When the doctors explained to me what they had done in my brain it's a miracle."

He also recalled memories of his second Open Championship victory and said: "That ball at St Andrews in 1984 that stopped by the lip of the hole and finally, finally with my energy the ball dropped in the hole. And with my energy and the ability and the hands of the doctors I am here."

Asked about his new foundation he said: "I am a lucky man, I have a second opportunity and my desire is to help others.

And of his wave of well-wishers he added: "They have to have faith, if you have a fighter and you are consistent, you win."

stockdam

Hopefully the worst is now behind him.


Thanks for the update.