Farewell to Golfing Genius
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
SPORT sundayterritorian.com.au Farewell to golfing genius SEVERIANO Ballesteros, and imaginative SEVE’S PROFILE cult match of my life with all tournament, with a score of British Open. A year later, he who died yesterday aged 54, style of play, he my strength.’’ Born in the 79. Ballesteros announced was the first European to was one of golf’s all-time famously won Born: April 9, 1957 village of Pedrena near the his presence as a teenager in make the breakthrough at greats; a charismatic figure one of his three Birthplace: Pedrena, Spain northern port of Santander, 1976, when he finished the US Masters. who led the European chal- British Open tit- Residence: Bilbao, Spain Ballesteros rose from hum- second at the British Open, His Ryder Cup exploits Family: Baldomero (1990), Miguel lenge to the decades-long US les by playing a (1992), Carmen (1994) ble beginnings — his father just two years after turning were equally impressive. supremacy and turned a Ballesteros shot from a tem- Turned Pro: 1974 was a greenskeeper — in pro, aged 16. He spearheaded the land- whole new generation on to porary parking lot. Total Tournament wins: 87 Spain, a country with little or He led at the midway point mark 1985 win over the the sport. Ballesteros was diagnosed Major Wins: British Open (1979, no golfing history. but a final-round 74 left him Americans, the first since 1984, 1988), US Masters (1980, From the mid-1970s to the with a malignant brain tu- 1983) But his three older broth- six shots behind eventual 1957. 1990s, ‘‘Seve’’ was one of the mour after losing conscious- ers were all golf pros as well champion Johnny Miller at Two years later, the sport’s most celebrated per- ness at Madrid’s airport on as his uncle, who was Span- Royal Birkdale. Ballesteros-inspired Euro- sonalities. October 5, 2008. ‘‘hardest challenge of my ish professional champion Topping the European peans won on American soil He collected 87 career titles He underwent four oper- life’’. ‘‘During my career, I four times and was sixth in Tour Order of Merit that for the first time. and was a crucial ingredient ations to remove the tumour was one of the best at getting the 1965 US Masters. year — he would go on to do He also skippered the 1997 in Europe’s rediscovered and reduce swelling in his around obstacles on golf His brother Manuel gave so on another five occasions Ryder Cup-winning team on love affair with the Ryder skull, as well as chemo- courses,’’ he said when he re- him a three-iron as a present — was a measure of com- home ground in Valderrama. Cup, before retiring in 2007 therapy. vealed his illness. and he sharpened his skills pensation. Golf Digest magazine in with back problems. He referred to his battle ‘‘Now, I want to be the best on the beach near his home. In 1979, aged 21, he became 2000 ranked him the greatest Known for his flamboyant against the tumour the at confronting the most diffi- At 12, he won a caddie’s the youngest winner of the golfer Europe has produced. Storm leaves it PUB: NT NEWS late in Brisbane GRITTY Melbourne halfback BRONCOS 22 Cooper Cronk looked like he’d gone 10 rounds with STORM 29 Mike Tyson after sparking MELBOURNE 29 (C Cronk R his side to a thrilling 29-22 Hinchcliffe D Nielsen A Quinn S Waqa tries; C Smith 4 goals, C DATE: NRL win over a courageous Cronk field goal) d BRISBANE 22 (G Brisbane at Suncorp Stad- Beale 2 D Gagai J Reed tries; C ium last night. Parker 3 goals) at Suncorp Stadium. Referees: Shayne Hayne, The game was in the bal- Tony De Las Heras. Crowd: 34,175. 8-MAY-2011 ance until the final minute when Storm winger Anthony After a Peter Wallace bomb Quinn won a mad scramble into the left corner, which for a Cameron Smith grub- Storm winger Anthony ber kick. Quinn got both hands on, Minutes earlier Cronk had Gagai plucked the ball from split the uprights with a 40m Quinn’s grasp and planted it field goal to break a 22-22 one handed for a try. deadlock. Brisbane took the field PAGE: Sporting some battle without their four Test guns wounds from Friday night’s — headed by skipper Darren rugged Test win over the Lockyer, watching from the Kiwis, Cronk was easy to stands along with Justin 68 spot, his head wrapped in Hodges, Sam Thaiday and bandages after an early colli- Ben Hannant. COLOR: sion had opened him up. The game evolved into a NRL LADDER cracker after Melbourne led 12-0 early and 22-12 with 20 Team P W D L +/- Pts minutes remaining. STORM 9 7 0 2 112 14 Brisbane fullback Gerard DRAGONS 8 7 0 1 97 14 BRONCOS 9 7 0 2 71 14 C Beale couldn’t get a start for COWBOYS 8 6 0 2 54 12 New Zealand in Friday BULLDOGS 8 5 0 3 14 12 M night’s Test but the classy TIGERS 8 4 0 4 32 10 SEA EAGLES 8 5 0 3 31 10 Y youngster served up two KNIGHTS 8 4 0 4 3 10 tries as the Broncos charged Warriors 8 4 0 4 -5 8 K back into the game. Rabbitohs 8 3 0 5 -37 8 Another of Brisbane’s Eels 8 3 0 5 -104 8 Titans 8 3 0 5 -39 6 young nursery, winger Dane Roosters 8 2 0 6 -41 6 Gagai, provided a piece of Sharks 8 2 0 6 -45 6 magic in the 71st minute Panthers 8 2 0 6 -63 6 Raiders 8 1 0 7 -80 2 Storm second rower Adam Blair is swamped by the Brisbane defence at Suncorp Stadium last night Picture: DAVID KAPERNICK which tied the scores at 22-22. Coach tips Origin call-ups Wounded Dragons in a spin Pick me and Hayne: Dugan UNLIKE their rivals the New lieves the usual- WITH 10 players involved in Country Or- CANBERRA fullback Josh NSW if either Zealand Warriors, Gold ly high-flying Friday night’s representat- igin five-eighth Dugan says he and Jarryd was selected on Coast Titans coach John Cart- Gold Coast will ive fixtures, St George Illa- Jamie Soward Hayne could be a potent the wing. wright won’t be losing much turn it around to warra hooker Nathan Fien will also be a double act for NSW, and has ‘‘Haynesy’s sleep over the representative ensure players concedes he has no idea what spectator after urged NSW coach Ricky such a great season’s toll on his side are in demand the side will look like when suffering groin Stuart to consider picking player and such ahead of today’s NRL clash. John Cartwright for Origin. the Dragons take on North Nathan Fien and hamstring both stars. Josh Dugan a strike weapon But Cartwright is expect- And he expects incumbent Queensland at WIN Jubilee injuries — the heavy casualty Dugan and Hayne shared so it would be disappointing ing all that to change come Queensland lock Ashley Har- Oval today. toll forcing Dragons coach the honours in their individ- if one of us got left out,’’ State of Origin time. rison to be the first picked — Fien is one of several Wayne Bennett to dig deep ual battle during Friday Dugan said. Due to a disappointing despite the form of Cowboys players in doubt for the into his reserves to come up night’s 18-12 win by Country ‘‘You kind of need those three-five season start, only No. 13 Dallas Johnson — match, with the dummy half with a side capable of top- Origin over City, both putt- strike players in Origin and one Titans player was on rep along with utility Greg Bird, having spent much of the pling the in-form Cowboys. ing in eye-catching perform- that’s what Origin’s all about duty on Friday night — and as NSW selectors deliberate week struggling with a ham- ‘‘We’ve got great depth ances in Albury. — those players that can do he was nowhere near Austra- over a pivot. string injury before taking there, so any injuries that we The Raiders No. 1 was something out of nothing.’’ lia’s 20-10 trans-Tasman Test As NSW coach Ricky his place in New Zealand’s get over the weekend we’ll be error-free at the back for Dugan would need to oust win over New Zealand at the Stuart’s deputy in 2011, Cart- Test side on the Gold Coast. able to cover,’’ Fien said. Country and a constant men- Hayne, Test winger Brett Gold Coast’s Skilled Park. wright’s backing of Bird His Kiwi teammate Jason Australian backrower Ben ace with the ball, while Morris and Newcastle’s Backrower Mark Mini- might provide a timely in- Nightingale would also be at Creagh says he will be a star- Hayne bagged a second-half Akuila Uate, who scored the chiello has ‘‘pulled up well’’ sight as the Blues sweated on long odds to back up after he ter, as will Cowboys skipper try. Hayne’s fall from the winning try in Albury, to after chiming into City Orig- the five-eighth role after landed awkwardly on his Johnathan Thurston. Cow- Test side suggested Friday’s gain a starting spot. in’s narrow loss to Country Jamie Soward (groin/ neck when he was flipped by boys co-captain Matt Scott clash was a genuine trial be- David White’s likely NSW line-up: Country Origin in Albury, thumb) was injured.