Seve Ballesteros - RIP

[Avenger]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/golf/13311206.stm

Spanish golf legend Seve Ballesteros has died after a protracted battle with cancer, Spanish TV is reporting.

The 54-year-old had health problems since being diagnosed with a brain tumour in 2008 after losing consciousness at Madrid Airport.

The five-time major winner had four operations to remove the tumour as well as undergoing chemotherapy.

Tennis star Rafael Nadal described Ballesteros as a "reference point" for Spanish athletes.

"He's one of the greats of this country without a doubt," he said.

Ballesteros, who claimed 87 titles over his career, won the Open in 1979, 1984 and 1988 and became the first European to win the Augusta Masters in 1980, repeating the feat in 1983.

He also enjoyed a successful Ryder Cup career as both player and captain - playing in eight Ryder Cups and winning 20 points from 37 matches before guiding Europe to victory over the United States at Valderrama in 1997.

He appeared in public for the first time following the surgery in May 2009 when he went to watch his local football team Racing Santander and was given a standing ovation.

He had called his battle against the tumour the "hardest challenge of my life."

[Grumpy Old Man]

Sad news. A wonderfully exciting golfer to watch and a passionate and driven man.

RIP

[Donny B.]

Very sad to hear this. They won't see the like of him again. An absolute original.

[icebaby]

Heavy heart hearing that news, he was not only a great golfer but made the sport more attractive

[jezzer]

If anyone can name me a more internationally loved sportsperson, I'd love to know who it is. Ken Browne of BBC did a great interview with him a while ago (Open Champs time?) and he came across as magnanimous, humble and amazing an individual as you always suspected he would stay, even through a terrible illness.

RIP

[BlueArmyOriginal]

A true measure of a sportsman is the esteem in which he/she is held by their peers. There is noone in world sport I can think of who commanded the same level of respect and esteem from his fellow golfers as Seve. May he rest in peace.

[Sea_point]

I feel privileged to to have grown up through Seve's professional career, a unique man and golfer with the most wonderful talent and charisma. We have lost a huge star. A measure of his global recognition is that in Golf playing countries that simply referring to "Seve" everyone knew exactly who you were referring to, and almost everyone had a Seve story.

I was also lucky to see the great man playing at his pomp back in 1991 when he won the Dunhill British Masters, and up close to see him craft a shot from an impossible lie was a thing of beauty. There was always a bit of craic when you followed Seve also, he was just a fun guy to watch there was always something happening..

What golf lover can forget the Seve jig after his first British Open win without smiling...

He dragged European Golf onto a higher level and his passion and determination were key driving forces for Europe's domination of the Ryder Cup over the last couple of decdes. It would be fascinating to do a straw poll of Pro Golfers across the world to see how many were inspired by his talent to pick up a club, certainly we may not have seen the likes of Jose-Maria Olazabal or Sergio Garcia in recent decades.

The European tour was a lesser tournament by his retirement, and the world is a lesser place without his presence....

Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam.......

[mikey]

A truly sad day for sport in general - there are certain people who manage to transcend the sport they play and Seve was such a man - a huge loss. He faced his illness with great dignity may he rest in peace now.

[Mackman15]

A true great, took it to the Americans in a way that the Europeans were sadly missing. He taught the rest of the tour how to do it and dragged them into a new and remarkable time for european golf.

Taken way too early.

There'll be plenty of rounds played in his honour tomorrow.

[Sauvignon Blank]

We'll never see his likes again.

When you hear about commentators and pundits talk about players of any sport possessing flair, commitment, dedication, heart, tenacity, guts, bottle, pride etc allied to a dogged fighting spirit it's rarely coupled with charisma, respect, honour & loyalty because 99% of them don't have it all. It's a rarity in Sport.

Not with Seve, he was all the above and more.

A young working class boy marginalised from the middle class game of Northern spain at an early age much like his good friend Olazabal was, yet some of the traits mentioned above ensured he rose above this bullshit to become a cavalier swashbuckling prodigious talent and eventually become the best golfer in the world.

Thanks for the memories Seve.

RIP.

[Mauler]

Followed him on his final round of the Irish Open at Portmarnock in '86 - an amazing golfer. RIP Seve.

[jezzer]

Followed him on his final round of the Irish Open at Portmarnock in '86 - an amazing golfer. RIP Seve.

Me too!

[Amz]

Wow, very sad to hear this. Was away all weekend with no net access so this thread is the first I've heard about it.

He really was a true gent and was one of the few golfers I liked.

RIP

[Sauvignon Blank]

Followed him on his final round of the Irish Open at Portmarnock in '86 - an amazing golfer. RIP Seve.

Me too!

Down the K Club many moons ago, I wandered off and stumbled across the great man practising on his own. This was a Sunday and unfortunately he missed the cut. A solitary golfer hitting 8 irons one after another, exchanged a few words with him and it was evident from the strikes his game had completely deserted him. He came across as extremely courteous and humble.

I would have loved to had stayed there watching him but felt i was intruding on him. The determination on his face was quite obvious, a real fighter.