Ballesteros, Severiano (1957-2011), was a popular and charismatic Spanish golfer who won more than 70 tournaments. Ballesteros won five major tournaments—the British Open in 1979, 1984, and 1988, and the Masters in 1980 and 1983. He won Open championships in nine countries—the Netherlands, France, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Spain, Ireland, Germany, Japan, and Kenya. An adventurous but erratic player, he sometimes played brilliant shots from even the worst positions.
Ballesteros was born on April 9, 1957, in Pedrena, Spain. He turned professional in 1974. Ballesteros was captain of the winning 1997 European Ryder Cup team. Ballesteros died on May 7, 2011.
