Golf-R&A plans tributes to mark 10-year anniversary of Ballesteros' death

[May 06, 2021]  (Reuters) - The Royal and Ancient (R&A) will celebrate the achievements of Spanish golfing great Seve Ballesteros on the 10-year anniversary of his death with a trio of tributes, including a feature-length documentary film.

Ballesteros, winner of five major championships and one of the sport's leading figures from the mid-1970s to the mid-1990s, died of a brain tumour in 2011.

The documentary, which will premiere this year, will profile Ballesteros' life on and off the golf course and feature contributions from his family and fellow sporting heroes, including Jose Maria Olazabal and Gary Player.

An 18-month exhibition at the British Golf Museum in St Andrews will be dedicated to his greatest triumphs, including winning The Open on three occasions in 1979, 1984 and 1988.

The tributes will also feature the publication of a photobook by renowned sports photographer David Cannon.

"I hope that fans will truly enjoy these wonderful tributes that tell the story of this charismatic, flamboyant and inspirational golfer who is without doubt one of the greatest of all time," Martin Slumbers, Chief Executive of The R&A, said.

"Sadly, he was taken from us too young and we must settle for the memories. But what glorious memories they are."

A file photograph shows Spain's Seve Ballesteros who says that he is so crippled by arthritis he fears he will never play competitive golf again, May 27, 2004. REUTERS/Paul McErlane PM/MD/JV/File Photo

A share of the proceeds from the tributes will be donated to the Seve Ballesteros Foundation, which aims to help introduce young people to the sport, and for scientific research that is used for the treatment of brain cancer.

Ballesteros, regarded by many as golf's greatest shot-maker, won 87 titles worldwide, 50 of them on the European Tour. He also helped revive Europe's fortunes in the biennial Ryder Cup team competition, guiding them to five wins both as a player and captain.

(Reporting by Arvind Sriram in Bengaluru; Editing by Christian Radnedge)

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