Gary Player - The Legend

Gary Player Pays Tribute To Seve Ballesteros

May 12, 2011 | Filed Under: General News   

Laureus World Sports Academy Member Gary Player, one of only five men to have won golf’s Grand Slam of major championships, here bids an intimate and personal farewell to Seve Ballesteros, a man whom he says he loved like a son.

Laureus: What made Seve so special as a man and a golfer? 

Gary Player: Seve was a special man whom I loved like a son.  He had a wonderful heart and a zest for life and that is what made him so special.  It is difficult to put into words just how much I admired and respected him. 
As a golfer he was so much fun to watch and play with.  He played golf much the same way he lived his life; with a real love for the game and so much enthusiasm.  He believed that no matter where he hit the ball he could always get up and down.  I remember on many occasions I would shake my head and wonder what he was thinking when he hit a shot.  But in the end, more of those risks paid off than not, and that was Seve.  He was not what we might consider a great strategist on the course, but for him that didn’t matter.  He played to win and played “his” game, not the game others thought he should play. 

Laureus: Are there any moments you had with Seve on the golf course which illuminate the character of the man?

Gary Player: The thing I remember most about Seve as a man was his undying love for Spain and all things Spanish.  He was so proud of his country and his heritage.  Throughout his career he was the most famous Spaniard in the world.  He could have moved to the USA and played on the PGA Tour and won more tournaments and money, instead he chose to remain in his home town and stay true to his roots and upbringing, something we shared in common. 

Laureus: What are your views on what Seve achieved in his career?

Gary Player: Seve was the biggest reason for the re-emergence of Europe as a world power in golf during the 1980s, a trend that has continued ever since.  He was one of those players that everyone would root for and Europe needed someone with his charisma and skills to get the fans interested in the game again.  If you look back on our sport you find that kind of person in each generation:  Hogan, Nicklaus, Woods.  Seve was a transcendent player and personality.

Laureus: Are there any particularly great shots or golfing moments of Seve’s which you recall?

Gary Player: The 1978 Masters.  I was playing with Seve during the final round and came back from seven shots down to win.  On the 11th hole some patrons said that I was so far behind that it was not worth following our group.  I told them not to leave because I was going to win.  Seve looked at me and asked if I really thought that I could and I told him that one can never give up and to always believe.  I think he was surprised to hear me say that and was not really sure if I believed what I was saying.  When I holed that last putt, Seve was as excited as I was and that really shows what kind of a person he was.  He did not win that year and I knew his time would come, but he was genuinely happy for me.  Being happy for another person’s accomplishments is a wonderful characteristic and that was only one of the many he possessed.  Afterwards, Seve told me that I showed him how to win the Masters and just two years later he did it.  He wanted to win and that was one of the things that set him apart from other golfers.

Laureus: What memories do you have of Seve as a fellow Laureus Academy Member?

Gary Player: I always found it amazing that every year around 50 of the world’s finest athletes would gather for the Laureus Awards and in the midst of such greatness every athlete wanted to meet Seve. 
He was so charismatic and so engaging that he just drew people to him.  And the best part of it was that everyone who met him said the same thing: “what a nice man.”

Courtesy of Laureus.  For more information about Laureus please visit http://www.laureus.com

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