Golf News Magazine | Pro Tour News | Interviews & Golf Travel https://golfnews.co.uk/ The UKs no 1 most read Golf Magazine Mon, 02 Jun 2025 12:24:30 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://golfnews.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/cropped-GN0125_01_Cover_masthead_stack_noline-32x32.jpg Golf News Magazine | Pro Tour News | Interviews & Golf Travel https://golfnews.co.uk/ 32 32 216808453 THE SHIRE LAUNCHES NEW COMBO TEE EXPERIENCE https://golfnews.co.uk/golf-news/the-shire-launches-new-combo-tee-experience/ Mon, 02 Jun 2025 12:24:22 +0000 https://golfnews.co.uk/?p=29909 To celebrate its 18th year, The Shire London has announced the launch of a brand-new “Combo” tee layout, available from 1st June 2025. The move marks a significant evolution in how golfers experience the only UK course designed by Seve Ballesteros. Famed for its unique 6x par 3s, 6x par 4s, and 6x par 5s configuration, and iconic features such as the island green par-3 opening hole and the S-shaped 18th green. The Shire London has long held a reputation […]

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To celebrate its 18th year, The Shire London has announced the launch of a brand-new “Combo” tee layout, available from 1st June 2025. The move marks a significant evolution in how golfers experience the only UK course designed by Seve Ballesteros.

Famed for its unique 6x par 3s, 6x par 4s, and 6x par 5s configuration, and iconic features such as the island green par-3 opening hole and the S-shaped 18th green.

The Shire London has long held a reputation for both quality and difficulty. Now, with the introduction of the Combo Card, players will have the chance to enjoy the layout in a more forgiving, diverse, and enjoyable way without losing the course’s core character.

The Combo Tee layout creatively blends tee positions from across the existing setup, including a mix of the Ruby tees (forward) and Emerald tees (championship tees ) allowing players to tackle each hole in a new way.

EXCITING FINISH

One of the most exciting changes is the reimagined 18th hole: traditionally a par-4, it will now play as a risk-and-reward par-5 from the Emerald tees, tempting longer hitters to go for the green in two, while still offering a safe lay-up route in front of the signature “S” lake.

“Golf is supposed to be fun and enjoyable,” said Tony Menai-Davis, Managing Director of The Shire London. “Over the years, we know the course’s difficulty may have put some golfers off.

Seve Ballesteros at The Shire London

With the Combo Card, we’re offering a more accessible and scoreable version of The Shire London, one that still honours Seve’s genius but opens the experience up to more people.”

The launch of the Combo Card coincides with The Shire London’s 18th birthday, marking a new chapter for the much-celebrated course.

Available to both members and visitors, the new layout reaffirms The Shire’s commitment to making championship level golf more inclusive and enjoyable for players of all skill levels.

For further information visit The Shire

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Say hello to great golf holiday deals from Bonjour Golf! https://golfnews.co.uk/golf-travel/say-hello-to-great-golf-holiday-deals-from-bonjour-golf/ Mon, 09 Dec 2024 10:35:24 +0000 https://golfnews.co.uk/?p=28221 Golfers looking to book a break to France or Spain should check out the fantastic range deals on offer with Bonjour Golf, a specialist tour operator founded by Graham Ruth, one of the golf travel industry’s most experienced professionals. Bonjour Golf’s extensive programme offers self-drive breaks to the finest courses in Brittany, Normandy, the Loire and beyond to Northern Spain, with hand-picked hotels and return ferry travel, departing from the UK’s south coast ports. Whether it’s enjoying seaside golf and […]

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Golfers looking to book a break to France or Spain should check out the fantastic range deals on offer with Bonjour Golf, a specialist tour operator founded by Graham Ruth, one of the golf travel industry’s most experienced professionals.

Bonjour Golf’s extensive programme offers self-drive breaks to the finest courses in Brittany, Normandy, the Loire and beyond to Northern Spain, with hand-picked hotels and return ferry travel, departing from the UK’s south coast ports.

Graham Ruth with Seve Ballesteros

Whether it’s enjoying seaside golf and Celtic culture in Brittany, combining stunning courses with WW2 history in Normandy, or maybe a round at a top course in Pays de la Loire with visits to nearby wineries, Bonjour Golf’s expert team can help plan all aspects of a golfing trip to the continent. Golf trips can be as short as one night, so all budgets and group sizes are catered for.

SEVE FOOTSTEPS

Northern Spain is also proving a popular destination for Bonjour Golf customers, with new packages to play the outstanding courses of Pedrena, Larrabea and Uraburu giving golfers the chance to follow in the footsteps of the great Spanish champions like Seve Ballesteros, José Maria Olazabal and, most recently, Jon Rahm.

Pedrena Golf Club

New for 2025, Bonjour Golf is also offering breaks to the Dordogne, along with an exciting new venture with P&O and Eurocamp, which will offer unbeatable value and open up golf in Holland, as well as the Nord Pas de Calais region of France.

Bonjour Golf also organises a number of friendly golf tournament breaks, where players of all skill levels and ages are welcome, with its trip to St Malo in France in March always proving popular with a wide range of golfers.

PIECE OF MIND

The company works closely with a number County Unions across England and organises a variety of PGA Professional tuition breaks for golf club members, along with bus golf tours lead by club captains and professionals.

All Bonjour Golf packages are fully bonded through Protected Travel Services, offering complete financial protection when you book a trip.

To find out more, visit www.bonjourgolf.com, call 01822 618181 or email golfdesk@bonjourgolf.com.

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Seve Ballesteros Foundation launches SEVE apparel collection https://golfnews.co.uk/features/seve-ballesteros-foundation-launches-seve-apparel-collection/ Mon, 22 Jul 2024 15:45:12 +0000 https://golfnews.co.uk/?p=26082 The Seve Ballesteros Foundation has launched a golf apparel collection to coincide with the 40th anniversary of Seve’s triumph at the 1984 Open Championship.

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The Seve Ballesteros Foundation has launched a golf apparel collection to coincide with the 40th anniversary of Seve’s triumph at the 1984 Open Championship.
In honour of Seve Ballesteros – Spanish professional golfer, world No.1, and one of sport’s leading figures from the mid-1970s to the mid-1990s – the SEVE brand upholds his legacy by inspiring golfers to be more daring and charismatic both on and off the course, where your outfit often defines you.
Launched online on July 22, the aim of the first collection is to encourage golfers to step out of their comfort zones and to embody Seve’s ethos when facing challenges on the golf course or simply harnessing the iconic Spaniard’s classic style of dressing.

The first SEVE collection, made in cotton, cashmere and 4-way stretch technical fabrics, is packed with golfing essentials, including trousers, shorts, polos, knitted sweaters, caps, and visors, all of of which are available in five colour ways.

The collection is available to buy via sevecollection.com and through leading golf retailers across the UK and Europe, and at selected clubs across Europe, including Royal Dublin, Royal Drottningholm, Royal Lytham & St Annes, and many more.
Carmen, Javier and Miguel Ballesteros, Seve’s children, commented: “Our father was not only one of the greatest golfers of all time, but renowned for his unparalleled fashion sense and unique style. The SEVE brand and debut collection embody everything that he was – bold, daring, brave, and unafraid to rally against the status quo. We are so excited for golfers all over Europe to be able to emulate his style and collection.”

As well as being one of the most prominent figures in sport, Seve was known for his killer style and his characteristic tonal outfit is a major inspiration for the debut 24/25 collection.Keeping in mind the question of ‘How would Seve dress today?’, the SEVE team has created looks that pay homage to Seve’s legacy while staying relevant for today’s golfers.
Everything in the collection is designed to mix and match effortlessly allowing the wearer to embrace their individuality with a coordinated daring tonal look or experiment with different combinations.The debut will also feature collaborations such as a limited edition Slazenger cashmere sweater inspired by SEVE’s iconic 1984 Open Championship outfit, Sunderland rainwear and a headwear partnership with Imperial.

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DAVID MOON CELEBRATES 30 YEARS AT ST MELLION INTERVIEW https://golfnews.co.uk/features/david-moon-celebrates-30-years-at-st-mellion-interview/ Mon, 01 Apr 2024 09:34:30 +0000 https://golfnews.co.uk/?p=24277 Golf News talks to David Moon, the golf manager at St Mellion Estate, about the changes he has seen during his 30 years at the popular Cornish venue and how the club is investing for the future   April sees you celebrate 30 years at St Mellion. What are you most proud of in terms of how the resort has developed in that time? I’m most proud of how we’ve managed to maintain the balance between being a golf resort […]

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Golf News talks to David Moon, the golf manager at St Mellion Estate, about the changes he has seen during his 30 years at the popular Cornish venue and how the club is investing for the future

 

April sees you celebrate 30 years at St Mellion. What are you most proud of in terms of how the resort has developed in that time?

I’m most proud of how we’ve managed to maintain the balance between being a golf resort and a members’ club. We have always had a very active membership – currently numbering around 700 – and been a very active resort, with a high volume of golf groups and residential parties, so it’s always been a fine balancing act to manage the demands of those two distinct interests, and I like to think we have managed to get that right.

When we opened the new hotel in 2012, we moved from being a 24-bed operation to being an 80-room resort, and that brought with it some challenges, but also provided an opportunity to grow the business.

Some resorts just rely completely on hotel guests and visitor green fees for their golf income, where we’ve managed to maintain a very healthy golf membership while also running a successful resort, and that’s been very rewarding.

THE ESTATE NOW HAS AN 80-BEDROOM HOTEL

Apart from the new hotel, we completely redeveloped the Kernow Course in 2008, and also made improvements to our flagship Nicklaus course in recent years.

We’ve recently invested £500,000 in a new buggy fleet, and we have also recently completed a £2 million refurbishment of the 18 cottages that we offer on the estate.

They are hugely popular with visitors and that investment has definitely paid off. We’ve also spent £500,000 refurbishing the health club and the changing rooms, so it’s a constant series of investments to ensure the resort continues to offer the very best facilities and high levels of service for all our members and guests.

DAVID MOON PRESENTS ALEX FITZPATRICK HIS TROPHY ON WINNING THE 2023 CHALLENGE TOUR EVENT HELD AT ST MELLION

How has your own role changed over the years?

My role has changed hugely since I first arrived in 1994 as Head Golf Professional. It was at the height of the club’s association with the European Tour, so I was excited to be immersed straight into hosting tour-level golf events. My duties were initially a mix of retail and coaching, and I did that

pretty much full time for the first six years. And then, in 1999, after St Mellion was sold by the Bond brothers to American Golf, my role changed from head professional to Director of Golf. Since then, my role has evolved, but I’ve essentially remained the golf manager and shaped the golf department to be a representation of me.

What is St Mellion’s unique selling point?

There are many elements that make St Mellion an attractive venue for members and guests, but chiefly it’s about the golf – having two 18-hole courses – the Kernow, which is a really good standard of resort course – and the Nicklaus Course, which, although I’m biased, I believe is one of the best resort courses in the UK. It’s only 6,284 yards long – which is short by modern championship standards – but every hole presents a challenge. Also, unlike some other resort courses, it doesn’t take six hours to play.

On top of that we’ve got some great practice facilities, amazing food and beverage offerings, and a variety of excellent on-site accommodation and leisure facilities.

All of that has combined to give us a very strong proposition to attract and retain members and grow our golf break business.

We see some golf groups come back here every year, and some come every three or four years, but they do come back, which is very positive.

THE 16TH HOLE ON THE NICKLAUS COURSE

St Mellion is part of the Crown Golf portfolio. What advantages does this bring to your members?

Apart from the obvious benefit of our members being able to play at Crown’s large portfolio of excellent courses throughout the UK, it makes us part of the company that is completely focused on golf and is helping to attract new people to the game by making it more inclusive and more welcoming.

That commitment to broadening golf’s appeal provides untold benefits across all of the clubs in the Crown group.

St Mellion has a high-profile tournament history, having hosted the B&H International Open for seven consecutive years back early 1990s. Would you like to see tournament golf return to the resort again some time?

I would love to see more tournament golf being held here, but commercially its quite a stretch to commit to top-level events these days. We hosted the English Seniors Open in 2007 and more recently hosted Challenge Tour events in 2022 and 2023, where the players raved about the quality of the course, which was very rewarding. I’d love to see a big match play event being held on the Nicklaus Course, as perfectly set up for that format.

SEVE BALLESTEROS WON THE BENSON & HEDGES INTERNATIONAL AT ST MELLION ONLY A MONTH AFTER DAVID JOINED THE ESTATE IN 1994

If you had to pick a favourite hole on the Nicklaus course, which would it be and why?

That’s a very difficult one, because we’re blessed with many signature holes on the Nicklaus, including the 5th, 11th and 18th, but if you twisted my arm for just one it would be the 12th, which is a beautiful par-five through what is our version Augusta’s Amen Corner.

It plays straight through an avenue of pine trees, with a little creek down the right-handside that cuts in front of the green. It’s a world class hole on a world class golf course.

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Adrian Meronk wins Seve Ballesteros Award after stellar season https://golfnews.co.uk/features/adrian-meronk-wins-seve-ballesteros-award-after-stellar-season/ Tue, 16 Jan 2024 15:03:42 +0000 https://golfnews.co.uk/?p=22980 Adrian Meronk has won the 2023 Seve Ballesteros Award after being voted Player of the Year by his peers on the DP World Tour.

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Adrian Meronk has won the 2023 Seve Ballesteros Award after being voted Player of the Year by his peers on the DP World Tour.

The accolade is one of a number of the 31-year-old’s history-making achievements as he becomes the first player from Poland to receive the honour after a season in which he won three times and finished a career-high fourth on the 2023 money list.

Meronk earned 38% of the votes cast by his fellow DP World Tour members, with Race to Dubai Champion Rory McIlroy taking second place. Ryder Cup debutant Nicolai Højgaard and Viktor Hovland, who clinched the PGA TOUR’s FedEx Cup, were in joint third place.

Meronk was presented with the trophy by one of Seve’s sons Javier, who travelled to Dubai ahead of this week’s Hero Dubai Desert Classic, won by his father more than 30 years ago.

BEATING HIS HERO

The Pole started the 2023 season in stunning fashion, earning his second DP World Tour title at the ISPS HANDA Australian Open, holding off a final day challenge from home favourite – and one of his golfing heroes – Major champion Adam Scott.

His victory in Australia earned him a place inside the top 50 on the world rankings at the end of 2022, enough to secure a maiden appearance at the Masters and thus become the first player from Poland to compete in all four Major Championships.

Another national open title followed shortly after as he triumphed at the DS Automobiles Italian Open, birdieing the 72nd hole at Marco Simone Golf & Country Club to win the title by one stroke. He then moved to a career-high 45th on the OWGR shortly after his win in Italy.

His next victory of the campaign, and fourth DP World Tour title, came at the Estrella Damm N.A. Andalucía Masters at Sotogrande, as he secured his position inside the top ten on the season-long rankings, ultimately going on to finish in fourth position and earn dual membership on the PGA TOUR for 2024.

Meronk picked up his fourth career DP World Tour title at the Andalucía Masters at Real Club de Golf Sotogrande

The Player of the Year Award incorporates the former Golfer of the Year Award after the two accolades were combined in 2021 to become one single honour voted for by the DP World Tour’s members.

Meronk, said: “It feels amazing. I’m shocked to be honest, I didn’t expect that. You got me by surprise but seeing my name next to all of these players, it’s unbelievable. I’m very grateful for this award. It means a lot to me that other players appreciate my season last year. It’s a great feeling.

BEST SEASON OF MY CAREER

Last year was the best season so far in my career. I’m really happy that other players saw that, as well and give that award. Just thank you for that and I have to keep going. I enjoy this week. I love playing here in Dubai. It’s probably one of my favourite tournaments of the year. So I’m excited to be here. We have such a great field this week, so I will just enjoy every moment.”

“It’s very nice to be here,” added Javier Ballesteros. “I used to come here with my dad many years ago, and to have an award with his name that the players vote for the Player of the Year, we are very grateful and very happy that there’s a prize with his name. Adrian played fantastic last year, he won multiple times and he’s a well-deserved winner of this award.

“We were very happy when the Tour came to us to say that they were going to put the Seve Ballesteros Award for the Player of the Year, and we really do like it.  We are very grateful, and the special thing that we like is the prize is voted by the players.”

Keith Pelley, Chief Executive of the DP World Tour, added: “Adrian has made history throughout his career, and I’m delighted to congratulate him once again, this time for becoming the first Polish player to add their name to the illustrious list of winners of the Seve Ballesteros Award. Any season that includes three trophies – including two national opens – is always impressive, and Adrian’s peers clearly thought so. I also want to thank Javier Ballesteros for travelling to Dubai to present the award to Adrian. It meant a lot to have him there to represent his father.”

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Rahm matches Seve’s record with third Spanish Open success https://golfnews.co.uk/features/rahm-matches-seves-record-with-third-spanish-open-success/ Sun, 09 Oct 2022 19:28:28 +0000 https://golfnews.co.uk/?p=16640 Spain’s Jon Rahm matched the achievements of the late Seve Ballesteros when winning his national open for the third time in his career. Rahm matched the maestro’s record in triple quick time courtesy of a stunning final round 62 at Club de Campo Villa de Madrid which took him to an incredible 25-under-par for the week and a six-shot victory over nearest challenger Matthieu Pavon. Rahm’s third win in the Spanish Open – he also won in 2018 and 2019 […]

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Spain’s Jon Rahm matched the achievements of the late Seve Ballesteros when winning his national open for the third time in his career.

Rahm matched the maestro’s record in triple quick time courtesy of a stunning final round 62 at Club de Campo Villa de Madrid which took him to an incredible 25-under-par for the week and a six-shot victory over nearest challenger Matthieu Pavon.

Rahm’s third win in the Spanish Open – he also won in 2018 and 2019 – came at the same venue as where Seve chalked his final win in the event in 1995. The 27-year-old led one by one shot following the third round, but four birdies on the front nine saw him open up a gap over the chasing pack, which also included Min Woo Lee.

A bogey on the 12th briefly halted Rahm’s momentum, but he responded with a birdie on the next and then almost made an albatross on the par-five 14th, with his approach from 208 yards hitting the pin and finishing just five feet from the hole, from where he duly converted for an eagle. Back-to-back birdies over the final two holes cemented a famous victory which sent the local fans home happy.

Rahm, for whom this was his first win since the 2021 US Open, said: “Seve has always been a great hero of mine, so to do something he took his whole career to do in just a few years is quite humbling. It might not have been the strongest field I’ve played in all year, but sometimes they are the hardest to win; the ones where people expect you to do well, especially on home soil and in front on my home fans. So to come out and play like I did means so much to me. It was pretty much a perfect week and the only thing that would have made it better was if my wife and kids were here to share it with me.”

Frenchman Pavon took second with a closing 65, with Min Woo Lee in third, and Edoardo Molinari and Zander Lombard two strokes further back in a tie for fourth.

Jon Rahm’s winning gear
Driver: Callaway Rogue ST Triple Diamond LS (10.5°)
Fairway woods: Callaway Rogue ST Triple Diamond T (16°, 18°)
Irons: Callaway Apex UT (21°), Callaway Apex TCB (4-PW)
Wedges: Callaway Jaws Forged (52°, 56°, 60°)
Putter: Odyssey Rossie S White Hot OG
Ball: Callaway Chrome Soft X

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Savour Seve’s life and times in glorious new book https://golfnews.co.uk/features/savour-seves-life-and-times-in-glorious-new-book/ Fri, 11 Jun 2021 08:42:06 +0000 http://dpd.aef.myftpupload.com/?p=12487 Copies of the excellent new book about the life and times of Seve Ballesteros are being rushed across the world to meet exceptional demand for Father’s Day gifts later this month. Seve: His Life Through the Lens is a photographic celebration of the legendary golfer in a 176-page coffee table volume that also contains descriptions of his greatest triumphs. Large consignments of the book have been shipped from the printer in Slovakia as far afield as California – via a ship to […]

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Copies of the excellent new book about the life and times of Seve Ballesteros are being rushed across the world to meet exceptional demand for Father’s Day gifts later this month.

Seve: His Life Through the Lens is a photographic celebration of the legendary golfer in a 176-page coffee table volume that also contains descriptions of his greatest triumphs.

Large consignments of the book have been shipped from the printer in Slovakia as far afield as California – via a ship to New York and a train from Baltimore – as well as across Europe, where sales in the UK account for around 60% of the books sold. An extra 500 copies have left for Seve’s native Spain, while another significant quantity has been sent to Tokyo ahead of the Olympic Games.

The book opens with a moving ‘Thank You’ letter to Seve written by his eldest son Javier, on behalf of his brother Miguel and sister Carmencita, as well as himself. “People know you for your golfing career – your victories, Major championship wins, Ryder Cup performances, your personality, your charisma and the unique way you played – but few know that you were an even better dad than golfer,” says Javier.

The book was compiled by Getty Images’ award-winning photographer David Cannon, long-time admirer and friend of the colourful champion golfer. It charts the charismatic Spaniard’s career, documenting all 95 tour victories en route to him becoming world No.1, including favourite ‘Moment in Time’ memories and images that illustrate them. As well as many action images taken by other talented photographers, the book contains a number of family portraits from the Ballesteros collection not seen in public before.

Following Forewords by Martin Slumbers of The R&A and Keith Pelley of The European Tour, golf writer Robert Green – author of two books about Seve – begins each chapter with an essay on his achievements. The book is then rounded off with touching tributes from both Sir Nick Faldo and lifelong friend José María Olazábal.

“My biggest aspiration for the book is that it captures not only the life and times of Seve, but his unique charisma and spirit…his pride and passion,” said Cannon. “This book is a celebration of Seve as a golfer, but also a tribute to Seve as a man, a father and a husband.”

Cannon began following the Spaniard after being paired together at a Pro-am at the Leicestershire Golf Club where he was a member in 1976. Seve was relatively unknown, speaking little English at the time, but barely two months later he led The Open Championship at Royal Birkdale after three rounds. A few years later Cannon would be best placed on the 18th Green at St Andrews to capture the iconic images of the famous final putt that claimed Seve his second Open title in 1984.

Published by Vision Sports Publishing, Seve: His Life through the Lens costs £35, or a collectors’ boxed version, which is only available through website www.sevethebook.com, costs £95. This special limited run edition of just 1,000 sets includes a numbered art print (285mm x 210mm) of the front cover image of Seve winning The Open at St Andrews, signed by David Cannon.

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Westwood wins Seve Ballesteros Award https://golfnews.co.uk/features/12340/ Fri, 07 May 2021 09:12:23 +0000 http://dpd.aef.myftpupload.com/?p=12340 Lee Westwood has been named the winner of the Seve Ballesteros Award as the 2020 European Tour Players’ Player of the Year following a remarkable season which culminated in the 48-year-old topping the Race to Dubai Rankings presented by Rolex and being crowned European Tour Number One for the third time in his storied career. The announcement coincides with the ten year anniversary of the passing of the Spanish legend Ballesteros, who died on May 7, 2011 following a battle […]

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Lee Westwood has been named the winner of the Seve Ballesteros Award as the 2020 European Tour Players’ Player of the Year following a remarkable season which culminated in the 48-year-old topping the Race to Dubai Rankings presented by Rolex and being crowned European Tour Number One for the third time in his storied career.

The announcement coincides with the ten year anniversary of the passing of the Spanish legend Ballesteros, who died on May 7, 2011 following a battle with cancer. Westwood’s first of ten Ryder Cup appearances came in 1997 under Ballesteros, who captained Europe to a famous win at Valderrama.

The Englishman had long ago secured his status alongside the late Ballesteros as one of the European Tour’s greatest ever players, but a memorable 2020 campaign has earned him another accolade after his fellow European Tour Members voted him the Players’ Player of the Year.

It was a season bookended by two of his most impressive performances. In his first appearance of the season, Westwood claimed his second Rolex Series title at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, overcoming his fellow Englishmen Matt Fitzpatrick and Tommy Fleetwood as well as France’s Victor Perez.

He capped off his season on a high too, his runner-up finish behind Fitzpatrick at the season-ending DP World Tour Championship, Dubai earning him the title of 2020 Race to Dubai Champion.

In a disrupted campaign due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Westwood’s consistency was something to behold – in 15 appearances he missed just one cut and produced eight top 20 finishes. On top of that, Westwood continued to give back to the game and to the European Tour through hosting the 2020 Betfred British Masters at Close House, which marked the first of six events in the UK Swing and was won by Italian Renato Paratore.

“It means a lot that it is voted for by my fellow players, the guys I play with week-in week-out,” said Westwood. “Awards like this are always very special because I feel like they as players know what you have to go through.

“I played a lot of good golf under pressure when I needed to in 2020. The win in Abu Dhabi at the start of the year and then to have a chance to play so well in the final event at the DP World in Dubai, I was really pleased with those two tournaments, but I was also consistent and that was important to me. It was a very difficult year with the pandemic for everyone, and we were very fortunate to play golf during this time.

“Seve was an icon of the game, and still is. When I started playing golf, I was looking at the Europeans and Seve’s name was at the top of that list as somebody to aspire to. The first tournaments I ever went to watch were Ryder Cups in 1989 and 1993, and Seve’s name is synonymous with the Ryder Cup.

“I remember looking at these guys like Seve and Nick Faldo, Colin Montgomerie, Bernhard Langer and Ian Woosnam wanting to be like them. Then in 1997 I am in a Ryder Cup team captained by Seve Ballesteros, so it was a very short gap between looking and watching and learning from my heroes to actually being amongst them trying to win points in a Ryder Cup. That for me was really one of those pinch yourself moments, like is this really happening to me. Seve was a huge part of that and inspirational in the team room, and just a phenomenal and very calming presence.”

Keith Pelley, Chief Executive Officer at the European Tour, said: “I don’t think it is any surprise that Lee Westwood has won the Seve Ballesteros Award after such a tremendous season. At 48 years of age he is an icon, a former World Number One, our most recent Race to Dubai winner and like Seve, Lee is a true champion. He has an unwavering will to succeed, and he has proven that over and over again in his career.

“Lee is one of the few remaining European Tour players to have competed alongside Seve and to have had the honour to call him a friend. They are two players who will be long remembered in the pantheon of European Tour and Ryder Cup greats.”

Javier Ballesteros, Seve’s oldest son, added: “I am personally very happy Lee Westwood is the winner of the Seve Ballesteros Award for his incredible season. Lee is playing some great golf, I think he is physically in great shape and when you enjoy not only golf but life away from the game, things go well for you, and that has shown in how he has played not only last year but over the past few years around the world.”

David Howell, European Tour Tournament Committee Chairman, said: “It’s obviously not the first time Lee has won the Race to Dubai, and last year was of course a strange year, but it seems fitting that whenever something slightly different comes along Lee Westwood is there to remind us that things are normal.

“Whilst Seve was a worldwide player, a Major winner and one of the biggest stars in the game, you always felt that his heart was with the European Tour. I think that came out with his Ryder Cup heroics and you just knew Seve cared deeply about the growth of the European Tour, and similarly with Lee, while he has been at the top of the tree for many years you just know his heart is with us and he has always supported the European Tour where possible. He has been one of the biggest names for over two decades now and it is great to see someone so loyal to our Tour coming up trumps again last year.”

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BERNARD REMEMBERS SEVE https://golfnews.co.uk/features/bernard-gallacher-pays-tribute-to-seve-on-the-10th-anniversary-of-his-death/ Fri, 07 May 2021 09:03:59 +0000 http://dpd.aef.myftpupload.com/?p=12337 Today marks 10 years since the passing of Seve Ballesteros – the man who changed the face of European golf, and who many consider to be the greatest European golfer of all time. In an interview with Golf Care brand ambassador Bernard Gallacher, the three-time former Ryder Cup captain pays tribute to Seve and give us his recollections of the great man. Can you remember when you first met Seve and what your impressions of him were? I first met Seve in 1974 at The […]

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Bernard Gallacher

Today marks 10 years since the passing of Seve Ballesteros – the man who changed the face of European golf, and who many consider to be the greatest European golfer of all time. In an interview with Golf Care brand ambassador Bernard Gallacher, the three-time former Ryder Cup captain pays tribute to Seve and give us his recollections of the great man.

Can you remember when you first met Seve and what your impressions of him were?

I first met Seve in 1974 at The French Open at Chantilly. I was drawn to play with him the first two rounds, and his older brother Manuel introduced us to each other the day before. He was 17 years old, and it was one of his first professional tournaments. He was slim and athletic with a long loose swing. He hit the ball with abandonment but completely lacked the course management skills needed to score. However, even back then, I saw plenty of potential, and I also knew his brother Manuel – who was a good swinger – would refine his swing and teach him how to score. The rest, of course, is history.

How would you summarise Seve’s impact at the Ryder Cup, and how did it feel knowing that someone like him was on your team?

Tony Jacklin was fortunate because, during his captaincy of the Europe Ryder Cup team, Seve was at the peak of his powers and the best player in the world. When you think back to the European team’s victory over the US at The Belfry in 1985 and Muirfield Village in 1987, Seve was instrumental in these victories and inspired the whole team. I was Tony’s vice-captain, and our feeling was Seve would play five times and win five points, so the rest of the team ‘only’ need to win 9.5 points for us to win! It was said in jest but with a hidden meaning, or double entendre.

Regarding the story that Seve persuaded you to let the team wear blue instead of green clothes on the final day of the 1995 Ryder Cup – what did this say about Seve’s mentality? Was he as superstitious a player as he was considered to be?

I was mostly happy to accept Seve’s advice, but Seve wanted to wear blue on the final day, so we all fell into line! That was ok because the team – including me – didn’t think it was a big issue. This was the kind of golfer he was – he’d always look to gain some sort of advantage. I remember he even had his celebration from the 1984 Open tattooed on himself when he was going through a bad spell in his late 40s. He thought that if he had the tattoo, his fortunes would improve because he was very superstitious like that.

Seve took over from you as team captain of the Europe Ryder Cup team, which retained the title in 1997. What do make of the job Seve did as captain?

The European Tour wanted to take the Ryder Cup to Spain to thank and honour Seve for his outstanding contribution to the success of the European team. The worry was that Seve would want to play all the shots for his players – he was never going to be a touchline type of captain. There were some tense moments, especially when Colin Montgomerie had to ask him to back off and let him play his own game. But Seve was passionate, and at the end of the day, that passion neutralised his hands-on approach. When Seve smiled, the whole world smiled with him because he had such an infectious personality.

What’s your favourite Seve moment and why?

There’s quite an amusing story from 1997. When Spain was nominated as the host country for the Ryder Cup, and Seve was unanimously chosen as captain, the Ryder Cup Committee still had to pick a course. This was an important decision because it would be the first time the Ryder Cup was played outside the UK, and a successful Ryder Cup couldn’t be taken for granted.
Valderrama was everyone’s choice because it was the number one course in Europe and one of the best courses in the world. The European team also played their flagship end-of-season tournament The Volvo Masters there for many years, so success was guaranteed.
However, Seve disagreed vehemently. He felt it should have been played at Real Novo Sancti Petri Golf Club near Cadiz. This was a new public course in a part of Spain that had never hosted a golf tournament, and to suggest that we’d have been taking a chance on its success would be an understatement. But Seve was adamant that the Ryder Cup should be played there!
It transpired Seve designed the course, so there was a huge personal interest there. The Ryder Cup Committee pointed out that he would lose credibility if he continued to push for his own modest course and insisted the Ryder Cup was held at Valderrama. He doesn’t know it, but we helped him not make a fool of himself!
Another standout Seve moment would have to be his victory at the 1984 Open. That putt he holed at the 72nd hung on the edge for a second, and his celebration was an immortal moment.

What was Seve like away from the course?

Seve was always tense and on edge during a tournament due to his Latin temperament, but after the event, he was very relaxed, especially if his wife Carmen was with him. I got to know him through the Ryder Cup and when he played at the World Match Play Championship at Wentworth, where I was the professional. So, I met him quite a lot, and Lesley and I were friendly with Seve and Carmen.
After winning the 1991 World Match Play Championship, he asked me if he could come to my house and watch his team Barcelona play. Along with his Carmen and his young daughter, he spent a nice evening with my family. That’s the kind of guy he was away from the course.
No one would ever get too close to Seve – he was his own man. It’s no secret that he was quite stubborn and difficult to get on with at times, but above all, he was very passionate about golf and desperately wanted to win. We all enjoyed his success with him.

What is Seve’s enduring legacy?

Seve will also be remembered for popularising the game in Europe – before he came along, golf wasn’t a popular sport in Spain. But he not only popularised golf in Spain but across all of Europe, whether it was France, Germany, or Switzerland. We also shouldn’t forget that Seve had humble beginnings – his whole family were caddies – so he didn’t have the same advantages growing up as his contemporaries had. He wasn’t even allowed to play at his local golf club in Pedreña because of how exclusive it was – he learned how to play golf on the beach. By contrast to Seve, Tom Watson grew up playing at expensive country clubs and went to Stanford University. All of these examples contextualise just how impressive Seve’s achievements were. His charisma lit up courses around the world, and he was a truly special player.

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Golfing world to come together to mark 10 years since Seve’s passing https://golfnews.co.uk/features/golfing-world-comes-together-to-mark-10-years-since-seves-passing/ Wed, 05 May 2021 09:22:50 +0000 http://dpd.aef.myftpupload.com/?p=12328 The R&A is to celebrate the life of the great Seve Ballesteros with a trio of unique tributes to the three-time Champion Golfer on the 10-year anniversary of his passing. Ballesteros, one of the greatest sportsmen of his generation, passed away on 7 May, 2011 aged just 54, following a battle with cancer having been diagnosed with a brain tumour two years earlier. The tributes include the production of a feature-length documentary film, the publication of a stunning photobook by […]

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The R&A is to celebrate the life of the great Seve Ballesteros with a trio of unique tributes to the three-time Champion Golfer on the 10-year anniversary of his passing.

Ballesteros, one of the greatest sportsmen of his generation, passed away on 7 May, 2011 aged just 54, following a battle with cancer having been diagnosed with a brain tumour two years earlier.
The tributes include the production of a feature-length documentary film, the publication of a stunning photobook by renowned sports photographer David Cannon, and an 18-month exhibition at the British Golf Museum in St Andrews.
Martin Slumbers, Chief Executive of The R&A, said: “Seve always was the supreme showman and he played a huge part in deepening my love of golf. I hope that fans will truly enjoy these wonderful tributes that tell the story of this charismatic, flamboyant and inspirational golfer who is without doubt one of the greatest of all time.
“As we approach a special milestone in the history of The Open and reflect back over its many unique moments, Seve’s iconic and joyful celebration after holing the putt on the 18th green at St Andrews in 1984 is one memory that always sticks out in my mind. Sadly, he was taken from us too young and we must settle for the memories. But what glorious memories they are.”

The R&A is working with ZigZag Productions, Egoli Media and North Ridge Films to create ‘Seve’, a documentary film which will premiere in autumn of this year.

It will profile Ballesteros’ remarkable life on and off the course, from its humble beginnings in Cantabria, Spain, where, as a young boy, he learned to play golf on its beaches, through to realising his dream and become one of the most decorated and celebrated golfers in the history of the sport.

The landmark documentary will feature contributions from his family, including his children Javier, Miguel and Carmen Ballesteros, and fellow sporting heroes, including close friend José María Olazábal, Sir Nick Faldo, Gary Player and Colin Montgomerie.

Javier Ballesteros, Seve’s son, said: “My dad considered his winning moment at St Andrews the crowning achievement of a very special sporting career filled with tour wins, Major Championship victories and Ryder Cup triumphs, which makes it very fitting that we have been able to work with The R&A on these special tributes.

“For me, Miguel and Carmen, he was an even better father than he was a golfer which tells you everything about him as a man.  We would like to thank our dad’s fans for all the passionate and continuous support throughout the years.  It means so much to all of us that his legend lives on.”

The R&A and the European Tour have also supported the publication of a stunning new book “Seve: His Life through the Lens” which has been compiled by renowned sports photographer David Cannon of Getty Images and published by Vision Sports Publishing.

As well as photographs from Cannon’s portfolio and the archives of Getty Images, the book features many of the finest action images and portraits captured by other prominent golf photographers. The book is now available to purchase at TheOpen.com/Shop.

An exhibition celebrating the life of Seve will launch when the British Golf Museum in St Andrews is re-opened after refurbishment later this year. It will run for 18 months and visitors to the Home of Golf will enjoy a unique collection dedicated to his greatest achievements in golf, including winning The Open on three occasions in 1979, 1984 and 1988.

A series of content dedicated to celebrating his life will also be published on RandA.org and TheOpen.com and The Open’s and R&A social media channels, including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.

A share of the proceeds from these tributes will be donated to the Seve Ballesteros Foundation to support the important work that it does to introduce young people to golf and encouraging their development and for vital scientific research that is used for the treatment of brain cancer.

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