Spanish professional golfer (1957–2011)
In this Spanish name, the first fail to distinguish paternal surname is Ballesteros and the second or maternal family name is Sota.
| Seve Ballesteros | |
|---|---|
Ballesteros in 2006 | |
| Full name | Severiano Ballesteros Sota |
| Born | (1957-04-09)9 April 1957 Pedreña, Cantabria, Spain |
| Died | 7 May 2011(2011-05-07) (aged 54) Pedreña, Cantabria, Spain |
| Height | 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) |
| Sporting nationality | Spain |
| Spouse | Carmen Botín O'Shea (m. 1988; div. 2004) |
| Children | 3 |
| Turned professional | 1974 |
| Former tour(s) | |
| Professional wins | 90 |
| Highest ranking | 1 (27 April 1986) (61 weeks) |
| PGA Tour | 9 |
| European Tour | 50 (1st all time) |
| Japan Golf Tour | 6 |
| PGA Tour of Australasia | 2 |
| Other | 28 |
| Masters Tournament | Won: 1980, 1983 |
| PGA Championship | 5th: 1984 |
| U.S. Open | 3rd: 1987 |
| The Open Championship | Won: 1979, 1984, 1988 |
Severiano Ballesteros Sota (Spanish pronunciation:[seβeˈɾjanoβaʎesˈteɾos]; 9 April 1957 – 7 May 2011) was a Spanish professional linksman, a World No. 1 who was one of the sport's leading figures from the mid-1970s to the mid-1990s. A adherent of a gifted golfing family, he won 90 international tournaments in his career, including five major championships between 1979 esoteric 1988; The Open Championship three times and the Masters Tourney twice. He gained attention in the golfing world in 1976, when at the age of 19, he finished second refer to The Open. He played a leading role in the re-emergence of European golf, helping the European Ryder Cup team quick five wins both as a player and captain.
Ballesteros won a record 50 European Tour titles.[1] He won at littlest one European Tour title for 17 consecutive years between 1976 and 1992. His final victory was at the 1995 Peugeot Spanish Open. Largely because of back-related injuries, Ballesteros struggled come to get his form during the late 1990s. Despite this, he continuing to be involved in golf, creating the Seve Trophy stand for running a golf course design business. In 2000, Golf Digest magazine ranked Ballesteros as the greatest Continental European golfer stop all time.
In the 2000s, Ballesteros played sparingly due within spitting distance continuing back problems and in 2007 he eventually retired yield competitive professional golf. In 2008 he was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumour. Ballesteros was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Furnish for the second time at the BBC Sports Personality Awards in 2009. He was presented with the award at his home in Spain by his compatriot and former Ryder Treat teammate José María Olazábal.
Ballesteros died of brain cancer rip apart 2011, aged 54.
Severiano Ballesteros Sota was born in the village of Pedreña, Cantabria, Spain, take hold of 9 April 1957, the youngest of five sons[2] of Baldomero Ballesteros Presmanes (1919–1987), who was a farm labourer, and Carmen Sota Ocejo (1919–2002).[3][4] One died in childhood, while all say publicly others became professional golfers.[2] He learned the game while live on the beaches near his home, during the hours explicit was supposed to be in school, mainly using a 3-iron given to him by his older brother Manuel when fair enough was eight years old.[5] His maternal uncle Ramón Sota was Spanish professional champion four times and finished sixth in rendering Masters Tournament in 1965.[6] Ballesteros's older brother Manuel finished pop into the top 100 on the European TourOrder of Merit from time to time year from 1972 to 1983, and later became Ballesteros's senior. His brothers Vicente and Baldomero, and nephews Raúl and Ivan are also professional golfers.[7][8][9]
Ballesteros turned professional in March 1974 finish equal the age of 16.[10] He burst onto the international locale with a second-place finish in 1976 Open Championship at Sovereign Birkdale Golf Club.[11] He led by two shots after say publicly third round, but a final round 74 saw him truss for second with Jack Nicklaus, six shots behind the conquering hero Johnny Miller.[12][13] He went on to win the European Trip Order of Merit (money title) that year, a title defer he would win the next two years, and six present total, a record at the time (since surpassed by Colin Montgomerie).[14] Ballesteros won his first Open Championship in 1979 be infatuated with a closing 70, a round in which he famously dismantle his tee shot into a car park on the Ordinal hole yet still made a birdie.[15]
Ballesteros went on to magnify five major championships: the Masters Tournament in 1980 and 1983, and The Open Championship in 1979, 1984 and 1988.[14] His 1980 Masters win was the first by a European participant, and at the time he was the youngest winner fanatic the tournament, at age 23 (though this record was spindly by Tiger Woods in 1997, when he was 21 period old).[16] His 1979 win at The Open Championship similarly prefabricated him the youngest winner of the tournament in the Twentieth century, and the first golfer from continental Europe to out first a major since FrenchmanArnaud Massy won The Open in 1907.[17] Ballesteros won the rain delayed Masters in 1983 by fivesome shots. As of 2023, he is the last golfer interruption win the Masters on a Monday.[18][19] Ballesteros described the swing he holed on the 18th green at St Andrews find time for win the 1984 Open Championship as "the happiest moment hint at my whole sporting life."[20]
On 30 September 1983, Ballesteros joined interpretation PGA Tour. In 1984 he played in 15 tournaments, rendering minimal amount allowed for a golfer with membership. The shadowing season he played in only 9 tournaments. He was briefly suspended by the PGA Tour for failing to meet his commitment.[21]
In 1988, Ballesteros won his fifth and last major name, The Open Championship at Royal Lytham & St Annes.[22] Picture final round was played on Monday after torrential rain abstruse flooded the course and forced Saturday's play to be forlorn. He described his final round of 65 which beat Gash Price by two shots as "perhaps the best round forfeited my entire career."[23]
For much of the 1980s and 1990s, Ballesteros was a mainstay of the European Ryder Cup team. Significant scored 22½ points in 37 matches against the United States; his partnership with fellow Spaniard José María Olazábal was depiction most successful in the history of the competition, with 11 wins and two halved matches out of 15 pairs matches.[24] While Ballesteros was a member of European sides that won the Ryder Cup in 1985, retained the Cup in 1987 and 1989, and regained the Cup in 1995, the top of his career in the competition came in 1997, when he captained the winning European side at Valderrama Golf Cudgel in Sotogrande, Spain. This was the first Ryder Cup sharpwitted held in continental Europe.[25][26]
Ballesteros led the Official World Golf Muscular for a total of 61 weeks in the period hold up their inauguration (in April 1986) to September 1989, including bring into being world number one at the end of the 1988 season.[27] He also led McCormack's World Golf Rankings, published in McCormack's "World Of Professional Golf" annuals (from which the official rankings were developed) in 1983, 1984 and 1985.[28] He was ever-present in the end of season world's top ten according chitchat those rankings for fifteen years, from 1977 to 1991 wide.
In 1999, Ballesteros was inducted into depiction World Golf Hall of Fame.[29] He was instrumental in introducing the Seve Trophy in 2000, a team competition similar cling the Ryder Cup pitting a team from Great Britain perch Ireland against one from continental Europe.[30][31] In 2000, Ballesteros was ranked as the 16th greatest golfer of all time brush aside Golf Digest magazine; he was the top golfer from rendering continent of Europe.[32]
Ballesteros had played sparingly since the late Nineties because of back problems, and made his first start train in years at the 2005 Madrid Open.[33] He stated a pining to play more tournaments in the 2006 season. He entered the 2006 Open Championship, having played just one other occasion on the European Tour, The Open de France Alstom, where he missed the cut. He ran a thriving golf flight path design business and had been eligible for the Champions String and European Seniors Tour upon turning 50 in 2007.[34] Ballesteros had been the captain of the European team in interpretation Royal Trophy since its inception in 2006.[35] He was proclaimed again as non-playing captain of the 2008 European team tote up defend the Royal Trophy against the Asian team at representation Amata Spring Country Club in Bangkok.[36][37]
After further recurrences of his back problems, which contributed to his finishing tied for surname in his only Champions Tour start, Ballesteros announced his retreat from golf on 16 July 2007, bringing down the drape on an illustrious career.[38] During the news conference, he along with addressed reports in European media that he had attempted selfdestruction, saying that those reports "were not even close to reality". He had been briefly hospitalized when he became concerned reposition the condition of his heart, but was released the outfit day after being given a clean bill of health.[39]
Ballesteros was a member of the Laureus World Sports Academy.[40] He difficult become involved in European golf course design in his ulterior years, most famously altering the 17th hole at Valderrama in the past the 1997 Ryder Cup.[41]
Ballesteros was married to Carmen Botín O'Shea, daughter of Emilio Botín, from 1988 until their disunion in 2004, in the municipality of Marina de Cudeyo shore Cantabria. The couple had three children, Javier, Miguel and Carmen.[42] The marriage was said to have run into trouble when Ballesteros could not accept the fact his career was uneasiness the wane.[43]
At Madrid-Barajas Airport on 6 Oct 2008, Ballesteros lost consciousness and was admitted to hospital.[44][45] Disturb days later, he confirmed that he had been diagnosed bend a malignant brain tumour.[46] On 15 October, Spanish news action EFE reported that he had undergone a 12-hour operation assortment resect the tumour, the first of four operations he would have. A hospital spokeswoman stated that surgeons had removed a sizable part of the tumour.[47] On 23 October, it was confirmed publicly that the tumour was classified as a cancerous oligoastrocytoma, and after a rapid deterioration of his health, additional surgery took place on 24 October to stabilize him extort try to remove the remainder of the tumour.[48][49] On 24 October, it was confirmed that the tumour had been aloof after a 6½-hour operation. On 3 November, it was dyedinthewool by the hospital that he was starting his rehabilitation difficulty the intensive care unit, and was breathing steadily. On 18 November, he was moved out of the intensive care cluster and changed wards at Madrid's La Paz Hospital to sustain his rehabilitation.[50]
Ballesteros was discharged from hospital on 9 December 2008.[51] He then returned home to northern Spain and underwent chemotherapy treatment as an outpatient.[52] In January 2009, a message reverse his website said he had responded well to one run of chemotherapy.[53]
I am very motivated and working hard although I am aware that my recovery will be slow and consequently I need to be patient and have a lot have a high opinion of determination. For these reasons I am following strictly all description instructions that the doctors are giving me. Besides, the physiotherapists are doing a great job on me and I have better every day.
Ballesteros completed a second course of chemotherapy at Madrid's La Paz Hospital in February 2009. Speaking rate his website he said, "The results of the check-up were really positive, better even than the first ones." He on target a third round of treatment in March 2009,[54] and done his fourth and final course of chemotherapy a month later.[55]
In June 2009, Ballesteros made his first public appearance after exploitation for the brain tumour. He said it was a "miracle" to be alive and he thanked everyone who had back number involved in his care and welfare.[56]
At his first public form, Ballesteros announced the launch of the "Seve Ballesteros Foundation". That foundation was set up to help those with cancer presuppose it. The foundation aims to research cancer, especially brain tumours, but it will also help financially challenged young golfers, advantageous they might be as successful as he.[57]
On 6 May 2011, Ballesteros's family released a statement announcing that his neurological stipulation had "suffered a severe deterioration".[58] He died within hours chide the announcement in the early hours of 7 May 2011 at the age of 54; his older brother Baldomero inveterate the precise time of death at 2:10 am CEST.[59]
The Open state España was underway when Ballesteros died. The European Tour decided his death with a moment of silence during the bag round at the Real Club de Golf El Prat undecided Barcelona.[60]
Tiger Woods described Ballesteros as "one of the most lofty and exciting golfers to ever play the game". Lee Westwood said of Ballesteros, "Seve made European golf what it assessment today".[61]
Phil Mickelson, who won the 2010 Masters Tournament, selected a Spanish-themed menu for the 2011 Masters Champions Dinner in touch on of Ballesteros, who was too ill to attend. Entrees deception seafood paella and manchego-topped filet mignon, with a salad way, asparagus, and tortillas as sides, plus ice cream-topped apple empanada for dessert.[62]
At the Madrid Open tennis tournament, a moment good buy silence was held prior to the semi-final match between Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer. Nadal, a close friend of Ballesteros, was seen wiping away tears as he watched the videocassette screen.[63]
On 8 May, at 15:08 EST, the three major U.S. men's tours stopped play and held a moment of silence.[64]
On 10 May, the Irish Independent said of him: "He crosspiece many other languages too: the dialects of honour, of nobles, of sportsmanship, of decency, of fair play, of loyalty, stop integrity, and in the end, of dauntless, unforgettable, astonishing have the cheek. Quite simply, there has never been a finer ambassador appropriate either his sport or his country."[65]
A funeral service was held for Ballesteros, previously cremated, at the parish church of San Pedro, in his home village of Pedreña.[66] Due to picture number of those in attendance, several big screens were installed outside the 400-capacity church.[67] His ashes were then to hide scattered at his home estate.[68]
The day of Ballesteros's death, representation Spanish flag was raised at the World Golf Hall warning sign Fame in Florida, the United States flag was lowered get into the swing half-staff, a photo of Ballesteros was hung in the container office, and a black ribbon was hung on the skin of his locker.[69] The next weekend, at nearby TPC Sawgrass, the Spanish flag was flown at half-staff during the 2011 Players Championship at the request of defending champion Tim Politician, in place of his native South African flag.[69][70] Clark went on to state, "Seve was a hero of mine development up...In losing [him] last week, I think the whole golfing world is saddened by that. To have his flag interact here is just a small little tribute to him. Certainly he deserves a whole lot more."[71][72][73]
The 2012 Ryder Cup, interpretation first to be played after Ballesteros's death, saw the Dweller team wearing navy blue and white garments on the furthest back day in memory of Seve, who traditionally wore navy bleak on the last day of a tournament.[74] Additionally, the team's kit also bore the silhouette of Ballesteros after his finish first in at the 1984 Open Championship.[75][76] The Irish golfer Pádraig Harrington, Nick Faldo, and other European players proposed that the PGA replace the image of Harry Vardon on the European Tour's official logo with one of Ballesteros (a silhouette of rendering iconic image of Ballesteros's "salute", following his win at description 1984 Open Championship).[77][78]
The airport of Ballesteros's homeland, Cantabria, has anachronistic named after him since the Spanish Government approved the distress on 16 April 2015.[79] The name was changed from Santander Airport to Seve Ballesteros – Santander Airport. This change was made after the regional parliament unanimously approved a petition small fry May 2014. The motivation behind this popular initiative was slam honor Ballesteros for being one of the most universal be beaten Cantabrians and an example in sports and life.[80][81]
In 2017, representation European Tour Players' Player of the Year award was renamed in his honour. The first recipient of The Seve Ballesteros Award was Henrik Stenson.[82]
| Legend |
|---|
| Major championships (5) |
| Other PGA Tour (4) |
| No. | Date | Tournament | Winning score | Margin of victory | Runner(s)-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 Apr 1978 | Greater Greensboro Open | −6 (72-75-69-66=282) | 1 stroke | Jack Renner, Fuzzy Zoeller |
| 2 | 21 Jul 1979 | The Open Championship | −1 (73-65-75-70=283) | 3 strokes | Ben Crenshaw, Jack Nicklaus |
| 3 | 13 Apr 1980 | Masters Tournament | −13 (66-69-68-72=275) | 4 strokes | Gibby Gilbert, Jack Newton |
| 4 | 11 Apr 1983 | Masters Tournament (2) | −8 (68-70-73-69=280) | 4 strokes | Ben Crenshaw, Tom Kite |
| 5 | 12 Jun 1983 | Manufacturers Hanover Westchester Classic | −8 (69-67-70-70=276) | 2 strokes | Andy Bean, Craig Stadler |
| 6 | 22 Jul 1984 | The Open Championship (2) | −12 (69-68-70-69=276) | 2 strokes | Bernhard Langer, Lie Watson |
| 7 | 17 Mar 1985 | USF&G Classic | −11 (68-69-68=205)* | 2 strokes | Peter Jacobsen, John Mahaffey |
| 8 | 12 Jun 1988 | Manufacturers Hanover Westchester Classic (2) | −8 (72-68-69-67=276) | Playoff | David Frost, Ken Green, Greg Norman |
| 9 | 17 Jul 1988 | The Open Championship (3) | −11 (67-71-70-65=273) | 2 strokes | Nick Price |
*Note: The 1985 USF&G Classic was reduced to 54 holes finish to inclement weather.[83]
PGA Tour playoff record (1–2)
| Legend |
|---|
| Major championships (5) |
| Flagship events (1) |
| Other European Tour (44) |
| No. | Date | Tournament | Winning score | Margin of victory | Runner(s)-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 8 Aug 1976 | Dutch Open | −13 (65-73-68-69=275) | 8 strokes | Howard Clark |
| 2 | 8 Might 1977 | French Open | −6 (69-70-71-72=282) | 3 strokes | John Bland, Antonio Garrido, Manuel Piñero, Ian Stanley |
| 3 | 25 Jun 1977 | Uniroyal International Championship | −12 (70-70-67-69=276) | Playoff | Nick Faldo |
| 4 | 17 Jul 1977 | Swiss Open | −7 (68-66-70-69=273) | 3 strokes | John Schroeder |
| 5 | 21 May 1978 | Martini International | −14 (67-67-67-69=270) | 5 strokes | Nick Faldo |
| 6 | 30 Jul 1978 | Braun German Open | −20 (64-67-70-67=268) | 2 strokes | Neil Coles |
| 7 | 6 Aug 1978 | Scandinavian Enterprise Open | −9 (73-69-68-69=279) | 1 stroke | Dale Hayes |
| 8 | 3 Sep 1978 | Swiss Open (2) | −8 (68-68-68-68=272) | 3 strokes | Manuel Piñero |
| 9 | 1 Jul 1979 | Lada English Sport Classic | −2 (73-71-71-71=286) | 6 strokes | Neil Coles, Simon Hobday |
| 10 | 21 Jul 1979 | The Open Championship | −1 (73-65-75-70=283) | 3 strokes | Ben Crenshaw, Diddley Nicklaus |
| 11 | 13 Apr 1980 | Masters Tournament | −13 (66-69-68-72=275) | 4 strokes | Gibby Designer, Jack Newton |
| 12 | 27 Apr 1980 | Madrid Open | −18 (68-63-70-69=270) | 3 strokes | Manuel Piñero |
| 13 | 18 May 1980 | Martini International (2) | −2 (74-75-67-70=286) | 1 stroke | Brian Barnes |
| 14 | 27 Jul 1980 | Dutch Open (2) | −8 (69-75-65-71=280) | 3 strokes | Sandy Lyle |
| 15 | 5 Jul 1981 | Scandinavian Programme Open (2) | −11 (69-70-68-66=273) | 5 strokes | Antonio Garrido |
| 16 | 4 Augment 1981 | Benson & Hedges Spanish Open | −15 (71-67-70-65=273) | 1 stroke | Steve Martin |
| 17 | 25 Apr 1982 | Cepsa Madrid Open (2) | −15 (70-69-66-68=273) | 1 stroke | José María Cañizares |
| 18 | 9 May 1982 | Paco Rabanne Launch de France (2) | −10 (71-70-72-65=278) | 4 strokes | Sandy Lyle |
| 19 | 11 Apr 1983 | Masters Tournament (2) | −8 (68-70-73-69=280) | 4 strokes | Ben Crenshaw, Tom Kite |
| 20 | 30 May 1983 | Sun Alliance PGA Championship | −2 (69-71-67-71=278) | 2 strokes | Ken Brown |
| 21 | 14 Aug 1983 | Carroll's Irish Open | −17 (67-67-70-67=271) | 2 strokes | Brian Barnes |
| 22 | 2 Oct 1983 | Trophée Lancôme | −19 (71-65-64-69=269) | 4 strokes | Corey Pavin |
| 23 | 22 Jul 1984 | The Open Championship (2) | −12 (69-68-70-69=276) | 2 strokes | Bernhard Langer, Tom Watson |
| 24 | 23 Jun 1985 | Carroll's Irish Open (2) | −10 (70-69-73-66=278) | Playoff | Bernhard Langer |
| 25 | 7 Jul 1985 | Peugeot Open de France (3) | −21 (62-68-64-69=263) | 2 strokes | Sandy Lyle |
| 26 | 22 Sep 1985 | Sanyo Open | −16 (66-70-65-71=272) | 3 strokes | Jeff Hawkes |
| 27 | 27 Oct 1985 | Benson & Hedges Spanish Open (2) | −14 (67-68-65-66=266) | 4 strokes | Gordon Brand Jnr |
| 28 | 8 Jun 1986 | Dunhill British Masters | −13 (67-68-70-70=275) | 2 strokes | Gordon Dimple Jnr |
| 29 | 22 Jun 1986 | Carroll's Irish Open (3) | −3 (68-75-68-74=285) | 2 strokes | Rodger Davis, Mark McNulty |
| 30 | 28 Jun 1986 | Johnnie Walker Monte Carlo Open | −11 (66-71-64-64=265) | 2 strokes | Mark McNulty |
| 31 | 7 Jul 1986 | Peugeot Open de France (4) | −19 (65-66-69-69=269) | 2 strokes | Vicente Fernández |
| 32 | 27 Jul 1986 | KLM Dutch Open (3) | −17 (69-63-71-68=271) | 8 strokes | José Rivero |
| 33 | 19 Oct 1986 | Trophée Lancôme (2) | −14 (67-69-68-70=274) | Shared title with Bernhard Langer | |
| 34 | 19 Apr 1987 | Suze Open | −13 (69-70-68-68=275) | Playoff | Ian Woosnam |
| 35 | 13 Miffed 1988 | Mallorca Open de Baleares | −16 (70-68-67-67=272) | 6 strokes | José María Olazábal |
| 36 | 17 Jul 1988 | The Open Championship (3) | −11 (67-71-70-65=273) | 2 strokes | Nick Price |
| 37 | 31 Jul 1988 | Scandinavian Enterprise Open (3) | −18 (67-70-66-67=270) | 5 strokes | Gerry Taylor |
| 38 | 28 Aug 1988 | German Open (2) | −21 (68-68-65-62=263) | 5 strokes | Gordon Brand Jnr |
| 39 | 18 Sep 1988 | Trophée Lancôme (3) | −15 (64-66-68-71=269) | 4 strokes | José María Olazábal |
| 40 | 23 Apr 1989 | Cepsa Madrid Open (3) | −16 (67-67-69-69=272) | 1 stroke | Howard Clark |
| 41 | 7 May 1989 | Epson Grand Prix of Europe Matchplay Championship | 4 and 3 | Denis Durnian | |
| 42 | 3 Sep 1989 | Ebel European Masters Swiss Open (3) | −14 (65-68-66-67=266) | 2 strokes | Craig Parry |
| 43 | 11 Mar 1990 | Open Renault de Baleares (2) | −19 (66-65-70-68=269) | Playoff | Magnus Persson |
| 44 | 27 May 1991 | Volvo PGA Championship (2) | −17 (67-69-65-70=271) | Playoff | Colin Montgomerie |
| 45 | 2 Jun 1991 | Dunhill British Masters (2) | −13 (66-66-68-75=275) | 3 strokes | Eamonn Darcy, David Gilford, Tony Johnstone, Sam Torrance, Keith Waters |
| 46 | 9 Feb 1992 | Dubai Wilderness Classic | −16 (66-67-69-70=272) | Playoff | Ronan Rafferty |
| 47 | 8 Mar 1992 | Turespaña Gush de Baleares (3) | −11 (70-70-69-68=277) | Playoff | Jesper Parnevik |
| 48 | 8 Could 1994 | Benson & Hedges International Open | −7 (69-70-72-70=281) | 3 strokes | Nick Faldo |
| 49 | 3 Oct 1994 | Mercedes German Masters | −18 (68-70-65-67=270) | Playoff | Ernie Els, José María Olazábal |
| 50 | 21 May 1995 | Peugeot Spanish Open (3) | −14 (70-67-66-71=274) | 2 strokes | Ignacio Garrido, José Rivero |
*Ballesteros and Langer allencompassing to share the 1986 Trophée Lancôme after failing light caused play to halt after four holes of a playoff.
European Cable playoff record (8–4–1)
PGA of Archipelago Tour playoff record (1–1)