Seve Ballesteros

The youngest son of a farmer, Ballesteros grew up in the tiny Spanish town of Pedrena. He took up the game at the age of seven when his brother Manuel made him a club from the head of an old three-iron. Even though he was forbidden to play at the Real Club de golf de Pedrena, the course next to his home, he taught himself to play the game with that single club on the beach along the Bay of Santander. To this day Ballesteros credits his fabled shotmaking abilities to those times on the beach. He caddied as he grew older, sneaking onto the empty golf course at dawn. His three older brothers, Baldomero, Manuel and Vicente all went on to become golf professionals.
Ballesteros caught the attention of the golf world when, at age 19, he led at the start of the final round of the 1976 British Open, two strokes ahead of Johnny Miller. He failed to win on that occasion, but his daring play charmed the galleries. He is credited with the great rise in popularity of golf in Europe over the last two decades, topping the European Order of Merit six times and winning five majors. His victory at the 1980 Masters, which until Tiger Woods' win in 1997 made him the youngest Masters winner, was an inspiration to his fellow European golfers, who realized that they could compete and win in America.
Back troubles have plagued Ballesteros and his game in recent years, and he announced his retirement from competition last summer. On October 10th, 2008 was admitted into a Mardrid hospital and diagnosed with a brain tumour, for which he spent the last part of 2008 in hospital undergoing surgery. Was released from the hospital on December 9th, returning to his home in northern Spain and is undergoing chemotherapy treatments.
* Member of the European Ryder Cup team, 1979, '83, '85, '87, '89, '91, '93 and '95. He was the captain of the Euorpean team in 1997.
1990 PGA European Tour Summary: Tournaments entered - 14; in money - 13; top-10 finishes - 8; stroke average 70.37 (ranked 7th); money £148,033 (ranked 18th); won Open Renault de Baleares.
1990 PGA Tour Summary: Tournaments entered - 8; in money - 4; top-10 finishes - 2; stroke average 73.13; money $84,584 (ranked 144th); best finish, T3rd, Independent Insurance Agent Open.
1991 PGA European Tour Summary: Tournaments entered - 15; in money - 14; top-10 finishes - 11; stroke average 69.45 (ranked 1st); money £545,354 (ranked 1st); Winner Volvo PGA Championship, Dunhill British Masters and Toyota World Match-Play Championship.
1991 PGA Tour Summary: Tournaments entered - 6; in money - 4; top-10 finishes - 1; money - $64,320 (160th); best finish, T5th, Buick Open.
1992 PGA European Tour Summary: Tournaments entered - 15; in money - 12; top-10 finishes - 3; stroke average 70.37 (ranked 9th); money £172,053 (ranked 28th); Winner Dubal Desert Classic and Turepana Open de Baleares.
1992 PGA Tour Summary: Tournaments entered - 5; in money - 3; top-10 finishes - 0; money - $39,206 (184th); best finish, T12th, Freeport McMoRan Classic.
1993 PGA European Tour Summary: Tournaments entered - 18; in money - 13; top-10 finishes - 3; stroke average - 71.54 (ranked T29th); money £148,855 (ranked 42nd); best finish, T2nd, Canon European Masters.
1993 PGA Tour Summary: Tournaments entered - 3; in money - 1; top-10 finishes - 0; money $34,850 (ranked 193rd); best finish, T11th, Masters.
1994 PGA European Tour Summary: Tournaments entered - 17; in money - 14; top-10 finishes - 10; stroke average - 69.95 (ranked 7th); money £590,101 (ranked 3rd); winner, Benson & Hedges International and Mercedes German Masters.
1994 PGA Tour Summary: Tournaments entered - 5; in money - 13; top-10 finishes - 0; money $49,245 (ranked 189th); best finish, T18th, Masters and U.S. Open.
1995 PGA European Tour Summary: Tournaments entered - 11; in money - 8; top-10 finishes - 2; stroke average 72.24 (ranked T63rd); money £145,285 (ranked 33rd); winner Peugoet Open de Espana.
1995 PGA Tour Summary: Tournaments entered - 9; in money - 4; top-10 finishes - 1; stroke average 73.19; money $64,345 (ranked 184th); best finish, T8th, Honda Classic.
1996 PGA European Tour Summary: Tournaments entered - 18; in money - 13; top-10 finishes - 2; stroke average 72.29 (ranked 71st); money £100,904 (ranked 69th); best finish, 3rd, Oki Pro-Am.
1996 PGA Tour Summary: Tournaments entered - 3; in money - 1; top-10 finishes - 0; money $9,300 ; best finish, 43rd, Masters.
1997 PGA European Tour Summary: Tournaments entered - 20; in money - 7; top-10 finishes - 0; stroke average 73.27; money £36,917 (ranked 136th); best finish, T21st, Linde German Masters.
1997 PGA Tour Summary: missed cut in Masters and British Open.
1998 PGA European Tour Summary: Tournaments entered - 20; in money - 12; top-10 finishes - 1; stroke average 71.88 (ranked T-62nd); money £58,069 (ranked 108th); best finish, T10th, Dubai Desert Classic.
1998 PGA Tour Summary: missed cut in Freeport McDermott, Masters and British Open.
1999 PGA European Tour Summary: Tournaments entered - 19; in money - 7; top-10 finishes - 0; stroke average 73.08; money �Eruo46,120 or £32,943 (ranked 143rd); best finish, 17th, Fiat & Fila Italian Open.
1999 PGA Tour Summary: missed cut in Bay Hill Invitational, Players Championship, Masters & British Open
2000 PGA European Tour Summary: Tournaments entered - 19; in money - 5; top-10 finishes - 0; stroke average 75.44; money �Eruo27,712 or £16,481 (ranked 190th); best finish, T56th, Novotel Perrier Open de France.
2000 PGA Tour Summary: Played in just two events, missing the cut in the Masters and the British Open.
2001 PGA European Tour Summary: Tournaments entered - 19; in money - 5; top-10 finishes - 0; stroke average 74.50; money �Eruo21,174 or £13,165 (ranked 204th); best finish, T47th, Maderia Island Open.
2001 PGA Tour Summary: Played in just two events, missing the cut in the Masters and the British Open.
2002 PGA European Tour Summary: Tournaments entered - 9; in money - 2; top-10 finishes - 0; stroke average 73.35; money �Eruo4,607 or £7,225 (ranked 247th); best finish, T56th Madeira Island Open.
2002 PGA Tour Summary: Played in just one event, missing the cut in the Masters.
2003 PGA European Tour Summary: Tournaments entered - 8; in money - 1; top-10 finishes - 0; stroke average 75.18; money �Eruo5,843 or £4,074 (ranked 279th); best finish, T67th Madeira Island Open.
2003 PGA Tour Summary: Played in just one event, missing the cut in the Masters.
Persistent back problems meant he was unable to compete in 2004.
Missed cut in the 2005 Open de Madrid.
Two starts in 2006, missed cut in Open de France then made an emotional return to The British Open Championship at Royal Liverpool with his son on the bag and has announced his intention to return to action when he turns 50 in April 2007 having overcome arthritic back and knee problems.
Two starts in 2007, missed cut in Masters and T77th in the Regions Charity Classic on the Champions Tour. At the British Open annouced that he was retiring from competitive golf. Hasn't played since then.