Golf: Hasta la vista approaches

If Severiano Ballesteros' worst fears are realised and he never plays golf again, New Zealanders should be thankful they had the chance to see the flamboyant Spaniard at his best.

As a 20-year-old, the rising star on the European tour came to Dunedin in 1977 fresh from winning two tournaments in Japan in the preceding two weeks.

The Otago Charity Classic was his 29th of the year and his 11th on the trot and he admitted to being very tired. But he won the tournament by three shots from American Bob Byman, with rounds of 69, 67, 68 and 67 for a 72-hole total of 271, 17 under par on the St Clair course.

It was hardly a money bonanza for the debonair Spaniard. He won $8000 for coming first, but also collected a substantial fee from a cigarette sponsor for an exhibition game against John Lister.

He was described in contemporary reports as "stony-faced" at Dunedin.

Though he did offer a hint as to why he was so popular with the galleries: "The girls are interested in you when you win the tournament. They are looking for you. If you miss the cut, they are not, you see."

Incidentally, the best round at Dunedin, an eight-under-par 64, was shot by an "unknown" Californian club pro, Loren Roberts, who has since had a successful career on the USPGA tour.

Ballesteros went on to much bigger things. He won the British Open in 1979, 1984 and 1988 and the US Masters in 1980 and 1983.

That 1979 win at Royal Lytham was typical of the Spaniard's attacking style. He hit eight fairways in the first three rounds and only one in the last. But his short game always came up trumps.

Best remembered is his birdie on the 16th in the final round, where he played his second from a carpark after being allowed a free drop from under a car.

At Dunedin, Ballesteros admitted: "I like very much to beat Americans". When a few years ago he was the European Ryder Cup non-playing captain, he did just that - and in style. While American captain Tom Kite kept a low profile, Ballesteros charged around the course Schumacher-like on a high-powered cart, encouraging his men.

Now, sadly, he has admitted he may have played his last competitive round as he battles with the effects of arthritis.

The 46-year-old has not played on the European Tour for more than nine months and is pessimistic about his future.

"I have to face up to the fact that I may never play again in competition," Ballesteros told the Daily Mail.

"My back is riddled with arthritis and I have no feeling in the middle of my neck - I have hardly any mobility.

"I am not confirming that this is the end because you always hope for a miracle cure, but what can you do?

"Always waiting, waiting, waiting - but there is only pain and the constant worry that if I do a little practice it will only make it worse."

* Also playing in New Zealand the same year as Ballesteros was American Al Geiberger, whose main claim to fame was that he had recorded a round of 59 in an American tournament.

Geiberger was not among the leaders in the $75,000 tournament at Titirangi. But he did make a big impression on his teenaged caddie, a West Aucklander called Frank Nobilo.

Nobilo went on to win the national amateur title at Hastings the following year and became one of New Zealand's best professionals.

FOURTEEN-year-old Sharon Ahn, who held the lead at one stage in the national strokeplay championship at Ashburton this year, won the North Harbour matchplay title at Muriwai last weekend.

In the final she beat a fellow North Shore Club player, Bobea Park, 4 and 3.