Golf great and 5 time major champion Seve Ballesteros died in the early hours of Saturday at his home in northern Spain following complications arising from brain cancer. He was 54.
He was extremely popular for his flamboyance and vivid shot making and was called golf’s “cirque du soleil” by fellow golfer Nick Faldo.
Born in Spain, he learnt to play golf on the beach at the age of 8. He turned professional in 1974 and won his first major title in 1979 when he won The Open Championship, which he went on to win again in 1984 and 1988. He won the Masters Tournament in 1980 and again in 1983. He was the first European player to win the Masters when he won in 1980 and at the time, the youngest, at the age of 23.
He also made several appearances at the Ryder Cup, including captaining and winning in 1997.
Altogether he has 91 titles to his name including 5 majors, 50 European and 9 PGA tour wins. He retired from the professional tour in 2007 and was diagnosed with a brain tumor, which required extensive surgery and chemotherapy.