Category: Golf

Part six of my bio doesn’t really go into Seve’s golfing career on the course. This segment looks more into his problems with his back, his ‘playboy’ manners and his other hobbies off the greens of the golf course.

Part 6: ‘ The Lady Pleaser with a Sore Back’

“The real burden for my back was the physical pain that became even more annoying and crippling.”

For all of Ballesteros’ success on the golf course, he suffered physically. After an accident as a young boy left him hobbling around for a couple of weeks as well as caddying at the Padreña club, Ballesteros’ back was taking its toll.

Ballesteros admitted he struggled through his major wins and Ryder Cup triumphs. And in 1993, he had enough.

The Spaniard and his family travelled to Scottsdale, Arizona, for treatment. He undertook the treatments for a couple of months with no significant improvements.

This wasn’t the first time he suffered a set back in dealing with his back problem. In 1977 after the Spanish under-25 championship, Seve went to see Dr. Carbajosa. He advised Ballesteros to give up golf for a year.

Seve admitted that if he listened, he might not have suffered again with back problems. But the thought of no golf for a year was unbearable. And arguably he wouldn’t have been as successful as he was if he listened to the Madrid doctor.

In 1995, Ballesteros went to Florida to have an operation on his back. Again this failed to sort out the problem.

Seve even travelled to Germany to meet Dr. Hans-Wolfgang Müller. The German doctor had treated the likes of Boris Becker, Linford Christie, Michael Owen and the Bayern Munich football team. Even his treatments didn’t make any improvement on Seve’s back.

In the end, Seve gave up on treating his back, and instead looked to workouts and swimming to at least numb the pain.

“When a lad has pretty girls following them around the golf course. It gives them extra motivation. More then once I tried to impress them. They seduced me.”

Before marrying his wife, Ballesteros was seen as a slight playboy by his peers. He recalls seeing ‘Miss Texas’ or Christy. When they travelled together Christy was impressed on how people looked at Seve. However reality it Ballesteros would remind her it wasn’t him they were making googly eyes at.

Seve also saw an unnamed princess from northern Europe. They would spend a lot of time together when their paths crossed in Barcelona. They went sightseeing and the princess even suspended a flight home to spend more time with Ballesteros.

But no one was as close to Ballesteros than his wife, Carmen. She was his “true love.”

“I liked hunting, as it was a popular sport in Northern Spain. I also liked boxing and football, as most Spanish men do.”

Seve had hobbies outside golf. He admired Muhammad Ali, like the millions who did watching him in the ring.

He also was a supporter of Racing Santander football club, a yo-yo team in the Spanish first and second division. He would go to as many games as he could when he was home.

Seve had better connections though with the biggest club in the world, Real Madrid. Offered the best seats in the house, a trip to Madrid was regular for the football fans of the Ballesteros family.

Away from golf, his life wasn’t too shabby. He spent more time with his family from the mid 90s. He won his last title in golf in 1995, and from then, began to fall slowly away from the top of the golfing ladder.

Seve admitted that if he listened, he might not have suffered again with back problems. But the thought of no golf for a year was unbearable. And arguably he wouldn’t have been as successful as he was if he listened to the Madrid doctor.

Moving away slightly from his individual accolades, this part of my Seve Bio looks at the powerful people in European golf that Ballesteros didn’t seem to get on well with and also his look back at the greatest competition the sport has to offer…

Part 5: ‘Scapegoat and The Magic of The Ryder Cup’

“If being a rebel means not accepting the authoritarian decisions, then I certainly am one.”

Seve during his golfing career wasn’t always calm. He very much disliked the hierarchy of the European Tour. Especially a man called Ken Schofield. Schofield was the chief executive of the Tour between 1975-2004. Seve felt Schofield singled him out. “I must have felt like a stone in Ken Schofield’s shoe. I swear he did everything he could to stop me from playing.” Schofield is an interesting character. He did do a lot for European golf. However there were many areas that needed approving. Seve knew this, and when he would ask for Schofield to look into these, he felt ignored.

Another figure Ballesteros had a damaging relationship with was the judge John Paramor. Whenever he could, it seemed Paramor would not allow Seve to play his game. He never was allowed to drop the ball if it was a pretty much impossible shot if Paramor was in charge of proceedings. He would often be given penalty strokes for slow play. One incident even saw Ballesteros lose his cool and get disqualified because Paramor insisted Seve had wrongly added his scorecard.

“The Ryder Cup is one of the world’s greatest sporting events.”

In 1979, Seve Ballesteros made his first appearance in the famous tournament. He lost his four-ball and single matches but won a point for Europe in the foursomes. They were crushed by the United States. Seve’s love for the tournament started here though, as he learnt a lot. He loved match play, which is what forms the Ryder Cup. He loved the ever-growing atmosphere by the spectators. He grew to love it so much that by the time the next one came around, he was left torn apart.

Schofield and co. excluded Ballesteros from the 1981 team for not playing enough that year. The effect of this is that Europe lost even heavier than they did in 1979. Seve was so hurt by the exclusion that he vowed to “Never take part in any Ryder Cups ever again.”

1983, and a man called Tony Jacklin is named Europe captain. He wants Seve in his side, but at first the Spaniard declines. After some advice from his brother, Ballesteros turned back on his word and returned to the Ryder Cup with huge optimism. Europe battled hard in Florida, but lost by half a point.

Then the tide turned in 1985. Europe, which had a stronger team that played in Florida and were made favourites to win. The two teams were tied on 6-6 going into the Saturday afternoon sessions. Europe won 3 of their 4 games to make it 9-7 heading into the singles on the Sunday. Seve drew his match. Earning half a point for Europe in the process. But Europe managed to hang on and for the first time since 1957, they had won the Ryder Cup.

“It was at that instant, when I saw the euphoria of the spectators and my colleague’s display of emotion, that I understood the real meaning of the Ryder Cup.”

1987 was to prove even better. Playing away on American soil, the European team was made up of golfers on top of their games. Seve thinks that the team of ’87 was the best one ever. It was here that his partnership with Jose María Olazábal worked it’s magic. With both Spaniards playing similar games, they were near enough impossible to beat. Europe went on to win 15-13. Seve won the decisive point in the singles, defeating Curtis Strange in a slightly heated contest. “Tony Jacklin, Nick Faldo and I were hugging on the edge of the green, crying. We were so excited!” The team of 1987 had made history.

The Americans seemed to be knocked astray after losing on home territory for the first time in 87’. But in 1989, when Europe looked odds on to win yet again, the Yankees thought back to draw the competition 14-14. Europe still retained the cup, but this was a warning for what would occur in 1991. ‘The War on the Shore’ in South Carolina. The Americans, who took to warlike tactics came back to win the Ryder Cup for the first time since 1983. According to Seve, they won the cup “by making Golf pay a high price as a sport.”

When it came to individual titles, the period of 1991-1994 proved a tough one. During which Ballesteros would go on a sour 26-month streak before winning a title. In 1993 he was winless, and fell in 42^nd in the European rankings, he lowest rank since turning pro nearly twenty years previous. His win in the Benson and Hedges Invitational in 94’ kicked started his ascend towards the top once again, still proving to the world that the old Seve was still there.

Part four of my Seve Ballesteros piece looks at his final major victory, his private life, the thorns of his career, his mixed opinions of the public and press and a very heart warming story…

Part 4: ‘ The End of the Golden Years 1988-1991’

“My best round at the Open- perhaps even the best round of my career- wasn’t at St. Andrews in 1984. It was the round of 65 with which I finished to win once again at Royal Lytham 4 years later.”

1988, Seve was back at Royal Lytham where he nearly won the Open twelve years previous. He had been struggling for form for the past two years due to the death of his father.

But this tournament was going to bring him back to the heights of the game’s elite. Seve hit the round of 65 on the final day as he overcame a strong challenge by Nick Price to win his third Open Championship. This was his fifth major victory (three wins at the Open and two wins at the Masters) but unfortunately for Seve it was to be his last.

1988 was also a very special year for Ballesteros. In November, he married his childhood sweetheart Carmen Botín. The couple had been seeing each other for eight years before they tied the knot.

Ballesteros had his house in Padreña built from scratch. It was a big house with a huge garden. From one side of the house you could see Santander Bay. On the other side of the house, you could see the Real Club del Padreña.

Ballesteros went on to have three children. Javier, Manuel and Carmen.

“The sport of golf is everywhere. However, it is a very exclusive club at the highest level. It is very difficult to remain at the very top.”

 Everyone sportsman has their ‘bogey-team’ or their unluckiest venue. Seve was no exception. The US Open was the thorn of his career. In 1990 he was disqualified from the tournament for turning up late for his tee-off time. Every year pre and post 1990, Ballesteros struggled.

The US Open was the only major Seve had to qualify for as he was never invited to compete. This upset him mainly because the people who were invited were names rather than players who were on top of their game.

“I made a statement to the PGA asking for them to make their invitations more sensibly for the best golfers of the day.”

It wasn’t just the US Open either. The USPGA was another tournament that didn’t favour the Spaniard. He refused to compete after 1990 in the USPGA so he could rest up and prepare for the other majors.

“Journalists, or war correspondents, dub areas of conflict as ‘Comanche Territory’. For me, the ‘Comanche Territory’ of my world was the Royal Club Del Padreña.”

Seve and the golf club didn’t have the best of relationships. As the townsfolk of Padreña congratulated Seve for his achievements, and even set up supporters clubs for their idol. The golf club stayed away. Ballesteros believes it was because they “couldn’t handle the fact a caddie from their club became a golfing superstar.”

Ballesteros never won Spain’s version of Sports Personality, although he won many accolades abroad.

Ballesteros was also asked by the Spanish bidders to host the Olympics in Barcelona in 1992 if he could support them by wearing the Barcelona ’92 cap. Seve accepted, and when they won the games, he was never told thanks for his help. “A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country. I don’t believe in this saying, as I am among my own people.”

“I’d like to underline the importance of visual imagination, when you have to meet a challenge, face an uphill struggle or battle against illness. If you see yourself winning and winning comfortably, that in my opinion is the first step to victory.”

Ballesteros won many fans by his achievements on the golf course. One of those fans, whose name wasn’t revealed by Seve but referred to as Martín in his autobiography, was perhaps his biggest.

Martín was diagnosed with terminal leukaemia when he twelve years old. Ballesteros was asked to visit the boy in hospital, just so that he could meet his hero. When Ballesteros got there, they both instantly got on. They spoke about everything, their childhoods, Seve’s golfing career, everything expect the illness.

Ballesteros carried on visiting, telling detailed stories of his Masters win in 1980, and his triumph at St. Andrews in 1984.

After playing in a tournament in Japan, Seve visited the boy, bringing him caps from the tournament and miniature golf games. However, when he got there he was informed the boy was moved to a different room…

Martín was recovering. He was fighting his illness so hard it was beginning to give up. “His cheeks were rosier in colour, his fair hair had grown. His mother happily told me he was getting better, and stronger each day.”

To Ballesteros’ delight, Martín fully recovered. He is playing golf and has fully qualified to become a lawyer. This was a young man that until Seve died, was like another son to him…

This next part of my Ballesteros tribute goes through to the mid eighties, when Seve experienced the biggest highs and also the biggest lows of his life…

Part 3: ‘Joy and Despair 1980-1987’

“This was the happiest moment of my sporting career. My moment of glory. My most fantastic shot. So much so that the picture of me gesturing in triumph is now the logo for my companies.”

Following the first Open and Masters wins of his career, Seve was full of confidence. His swing was good, every shot he undertook landed perfectly just as planned. Seve went on to win the Masters again in 1983. But it was 1984 that brings him the best memories.

The Open, held at the legendary St. Andrews Golf Club. Seve Ballesteros was two three shots down on the leaders heading into the final round. The press conference the night before allowed the Spaniard to show off his confidence of coming out as Champion. “I’ll see you tomorrow” he said as he left.

Tom Watson was leader overnight, and it seemed to be a two horse race for the Claret Jug. Similarly to the Ballesteros first Open victory five years previously, the lead was interchanging between the pair.

Then came hole 17. The famous Road Hole. Seve described it as the “most challenging par 4 in the world.” This is what separated the best from the rest. Seve managed to smash the ball onto the green, leaving him to two putt for a birdie.

Tom Watson however played it safe and after a comfortable drive, he fluffed up the second shot with a 2-iron. Ballesteros two shots clear. Seve scored par on the eighteenth meaning Watson needed an eagle to take it to a playoff. He didn’t manage it.

Ballesteros had once again won the Open Championship, and it felt better then ever. He still praises the shot on the 17^th as the ‘golden ticket’ to the Claret Jug.

“My father’s illness had drastically curtailed my preparations for the Masters in 1986. Caring for him was my brother and I’s priority.”

Seve and his father had a very close relationship. They travelled around together to far away places. One trip Seve recalled very well was a trip to Ohio, USA. The golfer treated his father to a limousine to take across the state.

Ballesteros’ father was in attendance to see his boy win the Masters in 1983. Something that Seve always cherished.

Then things started to take a turn for the worst in 1985. Seve’s father was diagnosed with lung cancer. On New Year’s Eve 1985 Seve took his father home after receiving treatment in Houston, Texas. With no way of getting to Santander from Madrid, Seve went all out to get his ill father home. It was the last time the pair travelled together.

On March 4^th 1986, Seve’s father passed away.

Seve was determined to win the Masters in dedication to his deceased father. “1986 will forever be in my mind. The Masters that year will always link with the death of my father.”

Seve began the tournament well. Scoring two-under par overall going into the weekend. A par on day three put him a stroke behind before the final round. After getting himself in a commanding position, things started to go catastrophically wrong.

The 13^th hole was one Ballesteros was keen to eagle and extend his lead at the top of the leader board. But he misjudged the putt. Seve failed to score higher then a par in the remaining holes. Jack Nicklaus beat him.

With so much determination to win, and little practise, Seve made silly, amateurish mistakes. Jack Nicklaus admitted some shots were reminiscent of a “golfer that hasn’t played in a while.”

For Seve, all he felt was grief. “The hardest blow wasn’t that I didn’t become Masters champion, but that I couldn’t dedicate a victory to my father as I pledged.” For Seve, this was the worst feeling he had felt since becoming a professional golfer.

“Sometimes when I look back to 1986 and the Masters. I can’t stop myself crying silent tears.”

The following year, Ballesteros, now coming to terms with the one-year anniversary of his father’s death, was back at Augusta.

Despite feeling more prepared then 12 months ago, the Spaniard suffered yet another big, hard hitting defeat in the play-off with Larry Mize and Greg Norman.

The tenth hole staged the play-off. Ballesteros, Norman and Mize all hit good, solid tee shots. Norman and Mize found the green with their second shots, both only three to four yards from the pin. Seve on the other hand, put too much backspin on his shot, and his ball ended up nine yards back, too far to sink for a birdie.

For Ballesteros, things in golfing terms had hit a low point for the first time since turning pro. But one moment in 1986 he will never forget.

“Walking up the fairway on the 18^th, the crowd stood and applauded as a mark of respect. I waved back. I was very appreciative. I will never forget that walk. Never.”

A tough US Open was won by Justin Rose last Sunday, the first Englishmen to win the event for forty three years. Many now predict Justin Rose to build from his maiden victory and go on to win many more majors. Could this though be the catalyst for English golfers to take supremacy in the sport?

Justin Rose would be our best bet. He has come close in many majors in previous years and now that he has won one; this should push him forward to many more. The Johannesburg born golfer is currently ranked 3^rd in the world and has won two Ryder cups in 2008 and 2012.

Lee Westwood is another Englishman who has come close to winning a major. However it always seems to be the putter letting him down on the big occasions and if the man from Nottingham can master this skill, I’m sure his name will eventually be engraved onto one of the four most established trophies in Golf. Lee is currently ranked 12^th in the world and similarly to Rose, has been part of the winning Ryder Cup teams of 2008 and 2012.

A final golfer hopefully to break his major duck is Luke Donald. The former world number one has struggled immensely in the majors and seems to never be in contention to win them. He was part of the winning Ryder Cup teams of 2008 and 2012 and is now ranked 7^th in the world. If Donald was to succeed, he would go on to win many more that is for certain.

The most difficult thing about winning a major is to win it for the first time, and with Rose now having accomplished this milestone, we should see Rose win many more majors in future. No pressure Justin!

Today, both the R&A and USGA agreed on the banishment of the Anchored putters after the announcement of Rule 14-1b. The new Rule will not come into action until 1^st January 2016.

The rule 14-1b was proposed to governing bodies in November 2012 and after a large review, an agreement between the USGA and R&A has been reached. There was a mixed view on the proposal; the European tour committees strongly supported the banishment of anchoring whilst the PGA tour and PGA of America were opposing the ban. Therefore, rumours had spread that different rules would be in effect in different tournaments.

In recent times, winners of major competitions have used these anchoring putters, such as Open champion Ernie Els, US Open champion Webb Simpson and recent 2013 masters champion Adam Scott.

After returning to the top of the rankings, Tiger Woods has unsurprisingly been made favourite for the forthcoming Masters in Augusta, Georgia this weekend. The American will be hoping to secure his fifth green jacket of his career come Sunday evening.

Tiger Woods won his first green jacket on April 13^th 1997, he became the youngest ever win of the major championship when he claimed victory. He completely outplayed the rest of the field on the greens of Augusta- winning the competition by 12 strokes.

It wasn’t until 2001 that Tiger Woods won the tournament for the second time; however this victory was closer than his previous win, with only two strokes separating him from runner up David Duval.

A year later and Woods won the tournament for a third time. Although Woods hit an average 71 scorecard on the final day, his previous rounds meant he managed to clinch back-to-back jackets by 3 strokes by Retief Goosen.

April 10^th 2005 was the next and up to now his last win at the Masters- and it was his closest victory too. He was taken to a play off by fellow American Chris DiMarco, and managed to beat him on the 18^th hole. That was Tiger Woods fourth jacket and his last to date. He is joint 2^nd on the list of most wins at the Masters, with the great Jack Nicklaus topping the list with 6 Masters Victories.

Tiger has been made 4-1 Favourite for the tournament this weekend; Looking for his fifth win in Augusta.