Severiano Ballesteros

Seve Ballesteros, the dashing, audacious force of golfing nature who zoomed from a fishing village in northern Spain to five major titles, No. 1 in the world and a pioneer's role in golf's European surge of the 1980s, died early Saturday. He was 54. Ballesteros, who enjoyed such renown for his vivid shot-making that fellow pro Nick Faldo called him "golf's Cirque du Soleil," died of complications from brain cancer at his home in Pedrena, the town where he was born, his family announced on his website.

Severiano Ballesteros tossed away a two-stroke lead but won the $875,000 British PGA golf championship with a birdie on the first playoff hole at Virginia Water, England. The Spaniard edged Scotsman Colin Montgomerie for his first victory this year on the European Tour. Ballesteros collected $145,000, winning the event for the second time.

The reign in Spain? As far as sports go, Spain is having a pretty nice run in the games division lately. Check the scorecard. Jose Maria Olazabal won the Masters, Arantxa Sanchez Vicario and Sergi Bruguera won the singles titles at the French Open and Spain is in the World Cup. When the U.S. Open starts today, Olazabal and Seve Ballesteros are going to try to keep the ball going for Spain. Ballesteros said his nation's success has given him more confidence. But that's not all.

Ken Schofield, executive director of the Professional Golf Assn.'s European tour, said he will not fine or sanction Spanish star Severiano Ballesteros for "bringing the game to disrepute," by criticizing the organization. Ballesteros complained bitterly about the changes made to his home course, Royal Pedrena at Santander, Spain, for this week's Spanish Open. "They have watered the greens, not watered the fairways and cut the rough," Ballesteros said. "It is not the same golf course.

Seve Ballesteros, the dashing, audacious force of golfing nature who zoomed from a fishing village in northern Spain to five major titles, No. 1 in the world and a pioneer's role in golf's European surge of the 1980s, died early Saturday. He was 54. Ballesteros, who enjoyed such renown for his vivid shot-making that fellow pro Nick Faldo called him "golf's Cirque du Soleil," died of complications from brain cancer at his home in Pedrena, the town where he was born, his family announced on his website.

Spain's Severiano Ballesteros opened with an eagle en route to a bogey-free round of 66 and moved into a five-way tie for the lead Friday after two rounds of the $1-million Doral Open golf tournament at Miami. Ballesteros, who has won two Masters and a couple of British Open titles, completed two trips over the windswept Blue Monster course at the Doral Country Club in 137, seven under par. "I feel like I played very good," Ballesteros said. "I have my game almost there.

Severiano Ballesteros made three birdies on the back nine and survived a bogey on his final hole to win the $400,000 USF&G tournament Sunday at New Orleans when John Mahaffey double-bogeyed the 18th. The victory gave Ballesteros the $72,000 winner's share of the purse. The Spaniard's bogey on the 18th left him at 205, tied with Mahaffey at 11-under-par, with Mahaffey on the 17th tee.

It was the Masters all right. One guy took a 10 on a hole. Steve Elkington opened with a seven on his way to an 81. Tom Watson was leading the tournament at four under par till he came to the 15th, where he took an eight. Golfers call that a "snowman." Abominable. John Daly had a six.

Seve Ballesteros of Spain accused Paul Azinger of lying during a rules dispute at last month's Ryder Cup golf matches between the United States and Europe. Ballesteros, competing in the Volvo Masters at Sotogrande, Spain, said that Azinger and Chip Beck admitted changing to a ball of different compression on the seventh tee of a foursome match, in violation of the one-ball rule. "Azinger didn't cheat, but he lied," the Spaniard said.

When Severiano Ballesteros first showed up in England with a golf club in his hand and a tee in his mouth, the British didn't know whether to laugh or call immigration. They didn't know they were looking at the biggest threat to the Empire's national sport since the Spanish Armada. They tried to be kindly. "Look, son, there are no bulls to fight in Britain. Now, why don't you get yourself a pair of flamenco boots and a girl with a comb in her hair and get on the table and give us a dance?"

Three white golf balls--where there should have been only two--dotted the seventh green of Augusta National as Andy North and David Graham approached the hole during the second round of the 1980 Masters. Alongside the elevated green stood a scowling Severiano Ballesteros, who saw nothing funny when Graham said, "Are you playing through, or would you like to putt out for an eagle?" The scowl deepened when North began to laugh as he realized what had happened.

Augusta wind came up, so Seve Ballesteros decided to lay up short with his second shot. No way would he go for this 15th green--maybe even under normal conditions. Not from atop this hill. Not on a 500-yard hole. Not with this pond in his way, inviting him to come on in, take a dip, get his ball washed. Maybe Gene Sarazen did double-eagle this damn thing by whacking a four-wood across the water and holing it, but that was 54 years ago. Old news.

The 16th hole at Royal Lytham and St. Annes Golf Club, a 357-yard wonderland the way Severiano Ballesteros plays it, has 16 bunkers, a green 38 yards long and twice has made a Spanish farmer's son the British Open champion. It was on this same hole in 1979, on the same final day of the tournament, that Ballesteros hit his drive beneath a car in a nearby parking lot but birdied the hole and won his first British Open.

It was the Masters all right. One guy took a 10 on a hole. Steve Elkington opened with a seven on his way to an 81. Tom Watson was leading the tournament at four under par till he came to the 15th, where he took an eight. Golfers call that a "snowman." Abominable. John Daly had a six.

Don't invite Severiano Ballesteros, the golfer, and Deane Beman, the commissioner of the PGA Tour, to the same party. After refusing to talk about Beman Tuesday, Ballesteros talked . . . and talked . . . and talked about him Wednesday on the eve of the 50th Masters tournament. Between shots at the commissioner, the Spaniard, on his 29th birthday, insisted that he had come here to win the tournament, not to say what's right or wrong about the U.S. tour.