Golf: Ballesteros accepts St Andrews' membership
Posted: 11 November 2009 2326 hrs

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LONDON: Spanish legend Seve Ballesteros on Wednesday accepted an honorary membership of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews.

Ballesteros has a special relationship with the Old Course after winning the British Open there in 1984, when his fist-pumping celebration of a birdie putt on the final hole to claim his second Claret Jug made him famous across the world.

The 58-year-old, who is recovering from brain surgery, is widely regarded as one of golf's all-time greats after winning three British Open titles in 1979, 1984 and 1988 and becoming the first European to win the Augusta Masters in 1980, an achievement he repeated in 1983.

He was also an influential figure in the Ryder Cup, winning 20 points from 37 matches and captaining Europe to victory over the United States at Valderrama in 1997.

Ballesteros was diagnosed with a brain tumour after losing consciousness at Madrid airport in October 2008.

Since then he has undergone four operations to remove the tumour and reduce swelling in his skull, as well as several rounds of chemotherapy.

He admitted St Andrews has had a special place in his heart since that 1984 triumph, so the honorary membership was a touching gesture.

"I am greatly honoured to accept Honorary Membership of The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews," he said.

"I have had, perhaps, the outstanding moment of my career at St Andrews and the town will always retain a very special place close to my heart.

"I sincerely hope that I will be able to come back next year and be part of the 150th Anniversary of The Open Championship."

Earlier this year, Ballesteros launched the Seve Ballesteros Foundation, an organisation which aims to aid research into cancer, particularly brain tumours. - AFP/de