Open Greats

Few players are more inextricably intertwined with the history of The Open than the late, great Seve Ballesteros.

The image of the Spaniard’s beaming smile and famous fist pump after sinking the final putt to win The 113th Open at St Andrews in 1984 is one of the most iconic in golf.

That triumph was sandwiched by two further victories in 1979 and 1988, with Seve’s extraordinary ability to pull off the seemingly impossible making him a firm crowd favourite.

Ballesteros was only a teenager when he sensationally finished second at Royal Birkdale in 1976 and still just 22 when he won his first Open at Royal Lytham & St Annes three years later. That triumph was achieved in the most Seve of ways. Only he could hit a tee shot into a car park and still come away with a birdie.

In the years between his first and second Open wins, Seve became the first European to win the Masters in 1980, before repeating the feat in 1983. Yet it was another Claret Jug that he craved more than anything else, which was demonstrated by his emotional celebrations upon claiming his second Open title at the Home of Golf in 1984.

The man himself later described the winning putt as “the happiest moment of my whole sporting life” and the picture of him gesturing wildly afterwards has lived on ever since.

Four years on at The 117th Open, back at Lytham, Ballesteros was again able to celebrate. After rain washed out the third day, The Open was forced into a rare Monday finish – but Ballesteros and Nick Price ensured it was worth the wait.

The stage was set for a titanic battle and the two players duly delivered one of the great duels in the tournament’s history, Seve ultimately producing “the round of my life” to beat Price by two strokes.

Seve Ballesteros' record at The Open

1975 | Carnoustie

Position: Missed Cut

Score: 159 (79, 80)

1976 | Royal Birkdale

Position: T2

Score: 285 (69, 69, 73, 74)

1977 | Turnberry

Position: T15

Score: 287 (69, 71, 73, 74)

1978 | St Andrews

Position: T17

Score: (69, 70, 76, 73)

1979 | Royal Lytham & St Annes

Position: Champion Golfer of the Year

Score: 283 (73, 65, 75, 70)

1980 | Muirfield

Position: T19

Score: 286 (72, 68, 72, 74)

1981 | Royal St George’s

Position: T39

Score: 293 (75, 72, 74, 72)

1982 | Royal Troon

Position: T13

Score: 290 (71, 75, 73, 71)

1983 | Royal Birkdale

Position: T6

Score: 279 (71, 71, 69, 68)

1984 | St Andrews

Position: Champion Golfer of the Year

Score: 276 (69, 68, 70, 69)

1985 | Royal St George’s

Position: T39

Score: 292 (75, 74, 70, 73)

1986 | Turnberry

Position: T6

Score: 288 (76, 75, 73, 64)

1987 | Muirfield

Position: T50

Score: 295 (73, 70, 77, 75)

1988 | Royal Lytham & St Annes

Position: Champion Golfer of the Year

Score: 273 (67, 71, 70, 65)

1989 | Royal Troon

Position: T77

Score: 299 (72, 73, 76, 78)

1990 | St Andrews

Position: Missed Cut

Score: 145 (71, 74)

1991 | Royal Birkdale

Position: T9

Score: 279 (66, 73, 69, 71)

1992 | Muirfield

Position: Missed Cut

Score: 145 (70, 75)

1993 | Royal St George’s

Position: T27

Score: 281 (68, 73, 69, 71)

1994 | Turnberry

Position: T38

Score: 280 (70, 70, 71, 69)

1995 | St Andrews

Position: T40

Score: 291 (75, 69, 76, 71)

1996 | Royal Lytham & St Annes

Position: Missed Cut

Score: 152 (74, 78)

1997 | Royal Troon

Position: Missed Cut

Score: 148 (77, 71)

1998 | Royal Birkdale

Position: Missed Cut

Score: 148 (73, 75)

1999 | Carnoustie

Position: Missed Cut

Score: 166 (80, 86)

2000 | St Andrews

Position: Missed Cut

Score: 147 (78, 69)

2001 | Royal Lytham & St Annes

Position: Missed Cut

Score: 149 (78, 71)

2006 | Royal Liverpool

Position: Missed Cut

Score: 151 (74, 77)