Real Club de Golf El Prat was awash with navy blue and white as the DP World Tour paid tribute to the late, great Seve Ballesteros on day one of the Estrella Damm Catalunya Championship.
The trailblazing Spaniard – winner of a record 50 DP World Tour events – passed away on May 7, 2011 and on the 15th anniversary of that sad day, players across all global tours were invited to wear his signature colours.
Ballesteros’ son Javier and brother Manuel were in attendance as Seve was honoured on the first tee, with a picture of the five-time Major champion overlooking the competitors as they got their rounds under way.
“Today is a special day, for better or for worse, because it’s been many years since he passed away," said Javier. "However, the fact that he is still being remembered on a golf course and at a tournament in Spain is very special. We are very proud and very grateful.
“I’m very happy to have experienced what we’ve experienced today and to see the players dressed like my father. The idea came from me and was very well received by Miguel Vidaor, the Tournament Director. We also knew that the tribute had to be on the golf course, just as he would have liked. The truth is, I’m very happy.
“That such young players, just joining the Tour, continue to see Seve as their idol even though they never got to know him is incredible. Above all, I’d highlight Jon Rahm - not just because he’s such a great player, but because so many times, one of the first things he’s done after winning a tournament has been to remember my father, even though he barely got to see him play. I imagine his father and mother must have instilled a bit of Seve in him, but it’s very touching and makes us feel very proud.
“(Angel) Ayora was wearing my father’s logo on his chest today, and as he himself said when making a difficult shot, he didn’t know if it was him or Seve who had done it… even if it’s just because he thinks about it sometimes, I’m sure it helps him mentally; it certainly doesn’t hurt.”
Born in 1957, Seve was just 19 when he won his first DP World title and between then and his last in 1995, he would rack up another 48 including two Masters Tournaments and three Opens.
He also played in eight Ryder Cups, winning three, and was the victorious captain on home soil at Valderrama in 1997.
His death at the age of 54 after a battle with brain cancer came on the third day of the Open de España at El Prat and as well as players wearing his colours, there are a host of other tributes taking place.
From Monday to Thursday, the flags on holes nine and 18 will be dedicated to Seve, and from Friday onwards the flag on hole five will represent his Major victories at The Open (1979, 1984 and 1988) and Masters (1980 and 1983).
Miguel Viador, Tournament Director, said in the tribute on the first tee:
“Today, here at Real Club de Golf El Prat, we remember a legend - and a man who shaped the identity of European golf, Severiano Ballesteros.
“Fifteen years ago, during this very week of the 2011 Spanish Open, we lost Seve. But his presence has never left this game.
“A charismatic champion and a true trailblazer, he changed what was possible, not just through his victories, but through his imagination, his courage, and his belief. He inspired generations of players, helped elevate the European Tour, now DP World Tour, and became the heartbeat of Europe’s rise on the Ryder Cup stage.
“This week, at the Estrella Damm Catalunya Championship, we honour him in the colours he made iconic - navy and white - worn with pride by our players, caddies, and staff here today and around the globe.
“Across this course, his story is visible: from the first tee to the 18th green, and in the flags that mark his five Major victories.
“Seve was from Pedreña, but he belonged to the world. And his legacy lives on in the spirit of this Tour.”
