Left field

Charismatic “People’s Champion” Seve Ballesteros dies

Ask anyone you know you has attempted the game of golf “Which golfer’s style would you most like to copy?” and they will most likely say the dazzling Severiano Ballesteros.

The Spaniard’s flare and touch were what stood him apart, and here follows reaction from his friends and rivals. There will never be anyone quite like him again.

Record 18-times major winner Jack Nicklaus: “Today golf lost a great champion and a great friend. We also lost a great entertainer and ambassador for our sport. I have always had wonderful respect for Seve’s ability, how he played the game, and the flair he brought to the sport. It was his creativity, his imagination and his desire to compete which made him so popular not only in Europe but throughout American galleries too.

“He was a great entertainer. No matter the golf that particular day, you always knew you were going to be entertained. Seve’s enthusiasm was just unmatched by anybody I think that ever played the game…Seve was, without argument, a terrific player — his record speaks for itself — but more important was his influence on the game especially throughout Europe.

“Through the years his involvement with the Ryder Cup, as both a player and captain, served to further elevate the stature of the matches. He was probably the most passionate Ryder Cup player we’ve ever had. I think his team mates always rallied around him and that passion of his. He was Europe’s emotional and spiritual leader, the heart and soul of their team. The Ryder Cup was something that was very, very special to Seve and Seve was very special to us.” — Statement.

Fourteen-times major champion Tiger Woods: “I was deeply saddened to learn about the passing of Seve Ballesteros. I always enjoyed spending time with him at the Champions dinner each year at the U.S. Masters. Seve was one of the most talented and exciting golfers to ever play the game. His creativity and inventiveness on the golf course may never be surpassed. His death came much too soon.” — Twitter.

Six-times major winner Nick Faldo: “He was a leader; bringing the spotlight to the European Tour, paving the way to European success at the Masters and bringing his relentless passion to the Ryder Cup. Today I would call him Cirque du Soleil. For golf he was the greatest show on earth. I was a fan and so fortunate I had a front row seat.” — Statement.

Ryder Cup — LIVE

Join us at Celtic Manor for shot-by-shot coverage of Europe v the U.S. as the final extra session on Monday decides who wins the Ryder Cup.

Ryder Cup shows sportsmanship at its best

If golf is an island of civilisation in a world of sport awash with cheating then the Ryder Cup is the coconut-laden palm tree on top.

Golf’s core values are honesty, self-regulation, absolute and unquestioning observance of even the most archaic rules and its great gift to the world – etiquette.

The same approach pretty much applies from the most humble municipal park player to when Jim Furyk is putting for 11.5 million dollars – making a mockery of the excuses for excess in other sports that it is all down to “pressure.”

The Ryder Cup takes those golfing values and stirs in some even more uplifting ingredients.

When Colin Montgomerie and Corey Pavin sat side by side at a media conference at Celtic Manor on Monday there was an unquestioned and obvious respect for each other, for the competition, for those who had gone before and for the legacy each would leave.

Montgomerie explained that he had chosen not to use his “home captain’s prerogative” of setting the course up to suit the European players, preferring instead to create an “honest course that would reward the best team”.

Pavin refused to be drawn into discussing a particular role for Tiger Woods, insisting that when it comes to golf’s most emotional competition, every man is equal.

Casey with point to prove to Monty

European Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie could be left with egg on his face if Paul Casey wins the U.S. Tour’s money-spinning FedExCup series on Sunday.

The 33-year-old Briton was flying high at ninth in the world rankings when Montgomerie ignored his claims for a wildcard pick last month, choosing Padraig Harrington, Luke Donald and Edoardo Molinari instead.

Europe have never enjoyed the luxury of leaving out a player ranked in the world’s top 10 and it shows the team’s strength in depth when the skipper can afford to omit a golfer as strong as Casey.

The Englishman has now climbed to seventh in the world and is one of only five players who can scoop the $10 million bonus on offer to the FedExCup winner.

If Casey edges out Americans Matt Kuchar, Dustin Johnson, Charley Hoffman and Steve Stricker at this week’s Tour Championship finale in Atlanta, Montgomerie is likely to come under renewed fire for discarding him.

The U.S. will be defending the trophy they won in Kentucky two years ago when they take on Montgomerie’s European team at Celtic Manor in Wales next week.

Home of Golf could do with more star quality

Scotland might be the “Home of Golf” but it seems the talent packed its bags and moved out long ago.

With nary a Scotsman in the 2008 Ryder Cup team and the country’s highest ranked player  Martin Laird at 104 in the world something is clearly very wrong with the game back home.

China, Colombia and Canada all have higher ranked players than the top Scotsman. Japan alone has seven in the top 100.

And just when things looked like they couldn’t get any worse, Scotland has again proved there’s further to fall. Of the 28 teams competing at the World Cup of Golf in China last month, Scotland finished dead last – trailing traditional golfing hotbeds such as Pakistan and Brazil.

The two players in the Scotland team were David Drysdale and Alastair Forsyth, ranked 164th and 253rd  in the world. Where’s  Scotland’s Rory McIlroy? Ross Fisher – he must be Scottish surely?

The sad fact is that apart from Andy Murray, Scots have precious little to cheer about on the world sporting stage.

For far too long the country’s golfing eggs were all put in one basket, clinging to the hope that Colin Montgomerie would stay out of a strop long enough to win a major. Sandy Lyle (1988 US Masters) and Paul Lawrie (1999 British Open) are the only two Scotsmen to win major championships in the last 20 years. And Lyle was born in England.

Sportswrap’s Hollywood ending

Join Owen Wyatt and myself for our look back at the week in sport. Our focus is on Diego Maradona and the 2010 World Cup qualifying situation in South America, with a quick detour to Celtic Manor to consider next year’s Ryder Cup golf.