A bronze statue of golf legend Severiano “Seve” Ballesteros has disappeared from his hometown. Authorities are investigating the theft.
The life-size bronze statue of the Spanish golf legend Severiano “Seve” Ballesteros, erected in 2009, has gone missing from his hometown Pedrena in the Cantabria region, according to the city authorities. Spanish authorities have launched an investigation after the council of the larger municipality Marina de Cudeyo announced on Instagram that the “unfortunate event” over the weekend indicates that the bronze statue was stolen. The municipal council has asked the public for assistance in the investigation: “If anyone has observed suspicious movements, especially within the last 24 hours, please notify the Guardia Civil or the local police directly.”
See this post on Instagram
The life-size bronze statue captures the moment of Ballesteros’s victory at the Open Championship at St. Andrews in 1984. Ballesteros was trailing behind Tom Watson in the final round but managed to turn the game around, winning by two strokes and securing the Claret Jug, denying Watson a third consecutive Open title.
Severiano Ballesteros: One of European Golf’s Greatest Figures
The bronze statue honors Spaniard Severiano Ballesteros, who contributed to four Ryder Cup victories as both a player and as captain of the European team. His professional career successes began at age 19 when he finished runner-up to Jack Nicklaus at the 1976 Open Championship. Ballesteros won three Open Championships (1979, 1984, 1988) and captured the Masters in 1980 and 1983. He received numerous accolades including Golfer of the Year, was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1999, and was named European Player of the Century in 2000. Ballesteros holds the record for most PGA European Tour wins with 50 victories. He passed away in 2011 from a brain tumor at age 54.
The statue was created in 2009 by Spanish sculptor Salvador Garcia Ceballos and permanently installed in La Barqueria Park in 2017.