Good looks, sheer genius and pure charisma to burn
09.05.11
GOLF: He played with such flair, passion, intensity and honesty of expression. RODDY CARR reflects on the life of his friend and business partner
IT WAS 1973, El Paraiso GC on the Costa del Sol, the last event on the European Tour. I was a struggling tour pro trying to make the cut to keep my card for the next year and avoid the dreaded Monday pre-qualifyings. A couple of 73s would do it. This was real pressure, the negative pressure of survival.
I was paired with this 16-year-old Spanish kid whose name nobody could pronounce and who was the kid brother of Manuel Ballesteros. He didn’t speak a word of English except “hello, I am Seve”.
He was a boy with drop-dead good looks and the exuberance that only fearless youth has. He had a flashing white smile and piercing eyes that sent lightning bolts through the heart of any female they engaged.
On the first hole he mashed a drive 300 yards down the middle, hit a five-iron into 10 feet and proceeded to chastise himself in Spanish out loud all the way to the green. He missed the putt and kicked the bag all the way to the next tee. I scratched a par four.
Source: Irish Times