Born in Pedrena, Spain, in 1957, Ballesteros won a record 50 times on the European Tour, including three British Open Championships. The first European to win the Masters in 1980, he twice one the Green Jacket and was the youngest winner at Augusta until Tiger Woods's first victory in 1997.
Ballesteros's tenacity, fearlessness and fanatical desire to succeed helped make him one of the greatest match players of all time in numerous events under that format. When Valderrama Golf Club on Spain's Costa del Sol was selected to host the 1997 Ryder Cup Matches-the first time for a mainland European venue-Ballesteros was the prime force. He was also selected Captain for the victorious European team. In 1999, Ballesteros was elected to the World Golf Hall of Fame. He retired at a tearful news conference at Carnoustie before the 2007 British Open.
Professional Majors:
Masters Tournament: 1980, 1983
Open Championship: 1979, 1984, 1988
Other Significant Victories:
PGA TOUR: 4
1978: Greater Greensboro Open
1983: Westchester Classic
1985: USF
1988: Westchester Classic
PGA European Tour: 45
1976: Dutch Open
1977: French Open, Uniroyal International, Swiss Open
1978: Martini International, German Open, Scandinavian Open, Swiss Open
1979: English Golf Classic
1980: Madrid Open, Martini International, Dutch Open
1981: Scandinavian Open, Spanish Open
1982: Madrid Open, French Open
1983: Sun Alliance PGA Championship, Irish Open, Lancome Trophy
1985: Irish Open, French Open, Sanyo Open, Spanish Open
1986: Dunhill British Masters, Irish Open, Monte Carlo Open, French Open, Dutch Open, Lancome Trophy
1987: Suze Open
1988: Mallorca Open De Baleares, Scandinavian Open, German Open, Lancome Trophy
1989: Madrid Open, Epson Grand Prix, Ebel European Masters-Swiss Open
1990: Open De Baleares
1991: Volvo PGA Championship, Dunhill British Masters
1992: Dubal Desert Classic, Turespana Open De Baleares
1994: Benson
1995: Spanish Open
Other Wins: 16
1977: Japanese Open, Dunlop Phoenix Open (Japan), Otago Classic (New Zealand)
1978: Kenya Open, Japanese Open
1981: Australian PGA Championship, Dunlop Phoenix (Japan)
1984: Million Dollar Challenge (South Africa)
1985: Million Dollar Challenge (South Africa)
1988: Taiheiyo Masters (Japan)
1991: Chunichi Crowns Open (Japan).
1981: World Match Play Championship
1982: World Match Play Championship
1984: World Match Play Championship
1985: World Match Play Championship 1991: World Match Play Championship
Other Accomplishments:
Played on eight Ryder Cup teams, winning 22 and a half points from his 37 matches. Was the winning captain of the 1997 Ryder Cup team. First player to reach £1 million, £2 million and £3 million in earnings on the European Tour. Won the European Tour Order of Merit in 1976, 1977, 1978, 1986, 1988 and 1991.
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The popular five-time major winner became eligible for the US seniors circuit after turning 50 on 9 April. "The Champions Tour just received another dose of charisma with the exciting news of Seve's debut," said Tour president Rick George. Ballesteros joins Nick Price and Mark O'Meara in joining the seniors' tour. The Zimbabwean three-time major champion and America's former Masters and Open winner both qualified earlier this year. Twice Masters champion Bernhard Langer and 1988 USPGA winner Jeff Sluman also become eligible for the Champions Tour on 27 August and 11 September respectively. Ballesteros has been much-loved by golf fans around the world for his swashbuckling style, imaginative shot-making and powerful aura.
He burst onto the scene as a 19-year-old when he finished second with Jack Nicklaus behind Johnny Miller at the 1976 Royal Birkdale Open. Three years later Ballesteros beat Nicklaus and Ben Crenshaw to win his first Open at Royal Lytham and went on to lift the Claret Jug twice more in 1984 and 1988. He also won two Masters Green Jackets in 1980 and 1983. Along with Briton Tony Jacklin, he was chiefly responsible for reviving Europe's waning fortunes against America in the Ryder Cup. And in 2000 he launched the Seve Trophy, a Ryder Cup-style match between teams from Great Britain and Ireland and Continental Europe. But Ballesteros, who last won in 1995, has battled arthritis and knee problems in recent years along with a gradual decline in his golf game. He has not made the cut at the Masters, one of his favourite tournaments, since 1996 and struggled to scores of 86 and 80 on his most recent appearance at Augusta this month. | ||
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