Seve dies aged 54........RIP

soundsham

SEVERIANO Ballesteros, who died aged 54, was one of golf's all-time greats, a charismatic figure who lifted five majors, led the European challenge to the decades-long US supremacy and turned a new generation onto the sport.

For two decades, from the mid-1970s to the 1990s, 'Seve' was one of the sport's most celebrated personalities.

He collected 87 career titles and was a crucial ingredient in Europe's rediscovered love affair with the Ryder Cup, before retiring in 2007 with back problems.

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

Ballesteros was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumour after losing consciousness at Madrid airport on October 6, 2008.

He underwent four operations to remove the tumour and reduce swelling in his skull, as well as chemotherapy. He called his battle against the tumour the "hardest challenge of my life".


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"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 had said in a statement when he revealed his illness.

Born in the village of Pedrena near the northern port of Santander on April 9, 1957, he rose from humble beginnings (his father was a greenkeeper) in Spain, a country with little or no track record for golf.

But his three older brothers were all golf pros as well as his uncle, who was Spanish professional champion four times and was sixth in the 1965 Augusta Masters.

His brother Manuel gave him a 3-iron as a present, and he sharpened his skills on the beach near his home on moonlit nights. At the age of 12, he won a caddies tournament with a score of 79.

Ballesteros announced his presence as a teenager in 1976 when he finished second at the British Open, just two years after turning pro aged 16.

He could have won. He led at the midway point but a final round of 74 left him six shots behind eventual champion Johnny Miller at Royal Birkdale.

Topping the European Tour Order of Merit that year - he would go on to do so on another five occasions - was a measure of compensation.

In 1979, aged 21, he became the youngest winner of the British Open.

A year later, he was the first European to make the breakthrough at the Augusta Masters, opening the floodgates for the likes of Nick Faldo, Bernhard Langer, Ian Woosnam, Sandy Lyle and his Spanish compatriot Jose Maria Olazabal.

That first of two Masters titles made him, at 23, the youngest winner before Tiger Woods reduced the bar in 1997.

Across the 1980s Ballesteros bestrode the green like a sporting behemoth, adding further British Open titles in 1984 and 1988 and also winning five World Match Play Championships.

His Ryder Cup exploits were equally impressive, spearheading the landmark 1985 win over the Americans, the first since 1957.

Two years later the Ballesteros-inspired Europeans won on American soil for the first time and what had been a one-way contest had been changed for ever.

His Ryder Cup partnership with compatriot Olazabal proved the most successful in the history of the event - the pair notched 11 wins with two further matches halved out of 15 pairs.

He also skippered the 1997 Ryder Cup winning team on home ground in Valderrama.

Back problems though started to trouble him in the late 1990s and his form and confidence gradually ebbed away. On July 16, 2007, he announced his retirement, although having turned 50 he was eligible for the Champions Tour and European Seniors Tour.

"I gave away all my teenage years and fought day and night to give my all and focus 100 percent on my golf game. I have a number of good years ahead of me and want to spend some time with my three children and friends and family."

He had already been limiting his schedule in the preceding years - a 2005 Madrid Open showing marked a brief comeback which saw him also enter the 2006 British Open Championship.

In 1988, he married Carmen Botin, the daughter of Emilio Botin, head of Santander bank and one of Spain's richest men. The couple had three children and divorced in 2004.

Ballesteros was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1999, where he joined the likes of Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer.

Golf Digest magazine in 2000 ranked him as the greatest golfer Europe has produced.

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annfield1978

RIP

source is SKY news?.

Im_No_Superman

Rip. Very sad news. True legend.

efb

RIP Seve

Decoda

RIP Seve:(

pjmn

RIP Seve.

mrsdewinter

Very sad news. I'm not a fan of the game at all but when I was growing up, just as there was only one tennis player to follow - Chris Evert - there was only one golfer everybody could shout for: Seve. Golf has lost a terrific ambassador for the game. RIP Seve.

DULLAHAN2

RIP SEVE

Johnny_Fontane

Aw man. A tear in my eye writing this. I revered him as a junior, he was a hero to me and my two brothers in the back yard playing ridiculous chip shots into tree houses and roof gutters.....
He will be hugely missed

ironingbored

Hasta Siempre, Seve.

Una leyenda verdadera.

RIP

Adiaga 2

Very sad news. A true sporting legend. R.I.P.

Shorty69664

Very sad day!!!!
RIP Seve.

sunbabe08

i'm in tears great player and pure gentleman. one of thee european greats.


my sympathy to his family at this time

jaykay74

RIP Seve. Met him once, a gent.

shamrock55

very sad RIP SEVE a true legend.

bigtimecharlie

God Bless to the great Man.

durkadurka

Rip. A genuine great.

scrubber72

RIP seve

IrishHomer

RIP Seve.

Last year BBC's golf commentator recorded a fantastic interview where he spent a few days with Seve in Seve's Spanish villa.

I would highly recommend anyone to watch out for a repeat it was amazing brought tears to me then such a legend and such a sad day to see him leave us.

Myksyk

Very sad. Absolute legend.

madds

He was my sporting hero growing up as a kid. Went to bed last night with a heavy heart hoping he would pull through - even said a prayer for him - but had a feeling the news would not be good when I woke this morning.

Too often these days praise is lavished upon our sporting icons. Not so in Seve's case. For those of you who are too young to remember him when he was at the peak of his powers in the early to mid 80's, he really was that good. I'm playing later this afternoon and Seve will be on my mind throughout the round as he was the reason I took up the game.

RIP Seve. Thank you for everything you gave the game of golf and how you inspired so many people around the world.

Seve

SSK

RIP, a true European and World golf legend.

fred funk }{

Very sad day. It's hard to believe he was so young.

charlieIRL

Sad news alright. RIP

Dr.Silly

Checked sky sports website this morning for the latest leaderboard and was thrown back in my seat with the big headline. Very sad news.

One of the greatest ambassadors ever of the game, a true gentleman and a great family man.

RIP

irishtoffee

Rip Seve.Very sad day for golf.

The Orb

As a golf fanatic this is the saddest news I have ever heard. Seve was like Zorro on a golf course, a swashbuckling adventurer. The man was an inspiration and will never be forgotten.

dvemail

R.I.P Seve, a true legend of the game and he will never be forgotten.

golfwallah

Sad news - a golfing legend. You paved the way for the success of the European Tour and broadening out the Ryder Cup for all European Players.

thegen

Inspirational, Legend, Gentleman. No words can describe the great Seve. What a huge loss. RIP Seve.

rednik

Seve thanks for the many moments of greatness you gave to millions through your career. A very sad day. RIP

Aidric

Extremey sad news. A huge loss to the game of golf and sport in general. He was the sort of character that every sport needs, an exciting talent on the course and a great ambassador for the game off it.

He was the inspiration for many people to take up the game. As a figurehead for European golf I'm sure a lot of the guys on tour were inspired to take up the game watching his mastery. He played with a smile on his face, in the knowledge that he was lucky to be plying his trade doing what he loved and using the natural talent bestowed on him.

It's always sad to see someone taken before their time but he can rest in peace in the knowledge that he contributed so much in his 54 years.

RIP Seve.

sofireland

I remember when the beeb had that film about seve at the open a yea or two ago it was so moving! I thought he had died then!
Needless to say he was a legend of the sport who won with honour and style and will be sorely missed. Rip seve and thoughts go to his family at this tough time

rafared

Sad sad news. RIP Seve, a true legend.

Nuri Sahin

Like many here, he was somebody I admired greatly and respected on and off the golf course. A true inspiration in every manner.

RIP Seve

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ab4Ii_Yxd2Y

ernieprice

RIP Seve. He was a really special man and gave us all such great moments and enjoyment watching him play. He was an inspiration to all both professionals and amateurs.

k.p.h

Really though he was going to pull through after reading an Interview in the Golf Digest.:( Really sad .. What a legend..

f22

Watched the great man play many times in Portmarnock growing up. Used to follow him religiously, especially during practice days. Like Langer he was a true gentleman and almost made you feel like he remembered you from previous years.

'I look into their eyes, shake their hand, pat their back, and wish them luck, but I'm thinking, 'I'm going to bury you'.'


There has never been a more exciting player to ever play the game. Sadly missed!

Wheelie King

Ah no. Not a huge golf fan but really liked Seve all through the 80's. A real loss to the game. R.I.P.

JerryHandbag

Such a sad day. As a kid I watched him take on Nick Price in the Open 88 in the final round, and inspired me to follow & play the sport.

Sky just mentioned there that his first tournament as a pro was the Spanish Open, and his last win in 95 was also the Spanish Open, and now he has taken his leave during the same tournament. Just meant to be.

RIP Seve

LuckyGent88

Unfortunetly i wasnt around to see Seve in his prime but he is my Fathers hero on the golf course and he has been in tears all morning.I have loved watching highlights of all his shots that he played in special circumstances and the imagination that he had was just unreal.
Its a devestating loss to golf especially to the European tour.

R.I.P Seve...an absolute hero and genius.

Keano

14 years ago today I lost someone very special to me.

Today the golfing world lost a legend. RIP Seve

Dormy

R.I.P. Seve

A true great and an inspiration to all.

Jul3s

Thanks for the memories, the passion and charism you brought to the game.
What a legend, RIP Seve.

mike65

Brilliant instinctive and driven talent.

The inspiration for a whole continent, you really can split golf in Europe into two eras - before Seve and after Seve.

migemo

The word legend was invented for people like Seve. He brought his sport to a new level of skill and popularity. The great man will be greatly missed.

the lawman

RIP to one of the games leading lights. The game will remember him so fondly and he will leave a great legacy.

My thought are with his family and friends.

His life will rightly be celebrated around the worlds golf courses.

Zak Flaps

Grew up watching Seve. One of the reasons I got into this game that I love.
Thanks Seve.
I hope you were aware of the happiness you brought to millions around the world. You will be missed always.

RIP

who_ru

Zak Flaps wrote: »

I hope you were aware of the happiness you brought to millions around the world. You will be missed always.

RIP

Hear Hear

NoseyMike2010

I thought I posted up here !

TheRoomWrecker

RIP Seve, A legend and a true gent

will be sadly missed