Injury ends Seve's St Andrews' hopes
Seve Ballesteros has pulled out of the British Open at St Andrews in two weeks’ time, continuing an absence from golf which stretches back to November 2003.
Last week the three-time champion’s nephew Ivan, now his manager, had said Ballesteros was having treatment on his arthritic back in a bid to make a comeback at the "Home of Golf".
But he has now conceded defeat in that battle and it remains to be seen if the 48-year-old will play competitively again. A year ago he voiced the fear his glittering career was over.
Ballesteros, the most charismatic player in European golf history, last played the British Open in 2001 and has not played any major since the 2003 Masters.
His last appearance was a sad five and four singles defeat to opposing captain Colin Montgomerie in the Seve Trophy match, Continental Europe against Britain and Ireland, at El Saler in Valencia 19 months ago.
Ballesteros had hoped to make a return to Augusta in April, but pulled out of that after injuring a knee practising at San Roque in southern Spain. That also prevented him playing this year’s Spanish Open.
He said then: “I need to be true to myself and recognise that I’m not in the best condition to play. I’m just waiting and obviously won’t start playing again until I feel I can do so in a dignified manner.”
In his last 23 European Tour events the former world number one has made only two halfway cuts and he last played all four rounds of a major in 1996.
