The world of golf is a much sadder place today following the news that Seve Ballesteros has lost his long battle against cancer.

It was a privilege for me to have played on the European Tour when Seve was the best in the world so I saw him at his absolute best and his best was better than anybody else’s.   He was simply incomparable.

Seve’s first tournament outside Spain was at the Italian Open in 1974 which was also my first.  The record books show, our careers went in different directions after that, but what a great time and honour for all of us on Tour to have played in his era.

Seve was golf’s Pied Piper.  Glamorous women, young kids, blokes and everybody else followed him... and it seemed that he always had a cashmere sweater round his neck.  Without doubt, he was the most charismatic person I have ever met anywhere in the world.  There was an unbelievable aura around him and his smile could light up the darkest room

He was everything that everybody in golf wanted to be – incredibly talented and equally good looking.

Seve lived for golf and his reward was to win five majors and many more titles around the globe. He will be remembered for the swashbuckling style he played the game and particularly for the victory salute when he won the Open at St.Andrews as well as being the player who turned European golf and the Ryder Cup into what they are today.

We will miss him for many reasons, but be sure of one thing, he will not be forgotten.   There will never be another Severiano Ballesteros.