Embraced with feeling as a sign of respect, admiration and recognition, José María Olazábal and Miguel Ángel Jiménez, the two great icons of Spanish golf at that time, openly expressed, with tears running down their cheeks, their tribute to the greatest, Severiano Ballesteros, a goodbye announced over the course of the second round and confirmed in the early hours of 7 May, an elegant farewell between rounds of an Open de España that is, as it is today, great and prestigious, thanks to the contribution of the legendary Cantabrian golfer, an example of determination and grit universally recognised.
As if that were not enough, from the sky a few timid raindrops joined the moving tribute of everyone who was playing and watching that Open de España de 2011, an added expression of sorrow that spread to every corner of the planet.
Displays of support and recognition from people from the most diverse fields flooded the newsrooms of the world’s media, a clear demonstration of the importance of a golfer who by his own merits exceeded the limits of his native Pedreña to reach all parts of the world.
And Severiano Ballesteros, as only the greatest can, was one of the few capable of writing the pages of history — of the history of golf, of the history of sport, of the history of a generation of fighters whom he glorified with actions as wonderful as they were unexpected. ‘Brilliant’ is the succinct but accurate summary needed to define him.
Flags at half-mast, black armbands, a minute’s silence, heartfelt statements of recognition, dozens and dozens of tributes filled every corner of that Open de España 2011 to remember, a historic event in which Severiano Ballesteros took part with full merit.
It is no coincidence that the spirit of Severiano Ballesteros, the greatest, hovered over the Open de España completely, which he seized almost from the outset. All those who had chances to win the title therefore enjoyed a beautiful added incentive: winning the Open de España of Severiano Ballesteros, this Open that enhances his personal record with three wins (1981, 1985 and 1995) and which at that moment was especially contested by the South African Thomas Aiken, ultimately the winner, who took advantage of that day marked by extreme emotion to build a slightly larger lead over his nearest pursuers, a two-shot advantage with only 18 holes to play over a quartet that included Pablo Larrazábal, those who had the best chance to say, just hours later, “this one’s for you, Seve, the greatest”.
Mourning marked a round full of emotion
The third round was inevitably marked by continuing expressions of condolence at the death of Severiano Ballesteros. The Real Club de Golf El Prat held an emotional minute’s silence in which officials, players, organisation, the press and spectators showed reverential respect. With the then presidente de la RFEG, Gonzaga Escauriaza, as a special witness, Chema Olazábal y Miguel Ángel Jiménez embraced in an emotional hug that closed the ceremony. As could be expected, the flags flew at half-mast and the players wore black armbands during their round.
