Severiano Ballesteros finished
204th on last year’s European order of merit – in his 28th
season. It was the fifth consecutive year he had finished outside
the top 100, and was his final year as a category one player
(for having topped the 1991 order of merit – he also was
number one in 1976, 1977, 1978, 1986 and 1988).
As an honorary member, and still a major attraction for any tournament sponsor,
he will continue to compete this year, but many people are asking why.
Towards the end of last year, while (perhaps ironically) conducting a clinic
at San Roque, where he is redesigning the first course, having a house built
and hoping to host this year’s Spanish Open (in fact, it went to the Canary
Isles), Ballesteros explained what still motivated him.
"I know what’s wrong. It’s very simple. I am bad physically
with my back, and also my right shoulder. I think I hurt my back when I was
13, when I used to do boxing with my friends, and the shoulder may be from
picking up my seven-year-old daughter. |
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"But there are other things. As you get older you lose some strength, some
flexibility...The desire to compete is not quite as great, it is harder to
leave your home and family behind, to be dedicated, and concentration is more
difficult, too.
"The worst thing for me is not playing well. You don't enjoy it. You know
you can do it but, for whatever reason, it goes. I say to myself a lot after
a bad round, ‘No more of this. No more.’ But this frustration, it only
lasts a minute. Then I try again.”
Seve says he has achieved his biggest goal. “I wanted to get married, and
have a family, and make sure they were healthy and received a good education.
One of my sons may be a professional golfer, he is very good already, nine handicap,
and the other one may be a soccer player. He wants to play for Real Madrid. They
both play golf, and I make them go out with just one club. Maybe a seven-iron
one day, or a nine-iron another. It is good for teaching imagination."
Imagination is one quality for which Seve has always been number one. Perhaps
it will help him through another difficult season. |
