Seve - turns 50 on Monday
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Only 10 fairways hit, seven greens in regulation, just two birdies, 15 pars, 14 bogies, and five double bogies for rounds of 86 and 80. Seve Ballesteros was back at the US Masters for the first time since 2003 but the numbers no longer stack up for the champion of 1980 and 1983.
Seve hasn’t made a cut here since 1996 but, far from looking depressed after yet another failed comeback, he threw his glove to a boy in the crowd then stopped to chat behind the 18th green.
“It’s great to be back,” he smiled. “I came early to practise but lost confidence on Tuesday then everything just went wrong. But I played some nice shots and was impressed by with the way I held my nerves.”
Seve hasn’t played competitive golf for seven months and now the only sponsor’s logo he has on his cap and bag is his signature and a silhouette of that famous air punch after he won the Open at St Andrews in 1984.
“Just being here is my victory,” Seve smiled. “I'll be back next year.”
The Spaniard turns 50 on Monday and, it seems, he has finally come to terms with the fact that he can no longer compete at this level.
“I used to be able to play better than that,” he
admitted, before revealing that he plans to return to the US in May to make his debut on the Champions (Seniors) Tour.
As for playing in The Open at Carnoustie in July, Seve shrugged: “I’d like to but we’ll have to wait and see.”
Tell us on the forum your views on the 2007 US Masters, after yesterday's high-scoring end to Round Two as well as Seve's magic career moments.
Paul Mahoney is an award-winning freelance based in the UK and is reporting daily on the Masters, exclusively for Golfmagic.com.
