A bronze statue of golf legend Severiano ‘Seve’ Ballesteros has disappeared from his hometown. Authorities are investigating the theft.A life-sized bronze statue of the Spanish golf legend Severiano ‘Seve’ Ballesteros, erected in 2009, has vanished from his native village of Pedrena in the Cantabria region, according to the city. Spanish authorities have launched an investigation after the council of the broader municipality Marina de Cudeyo announced on Instagram that the “unfortunate event” over the weekend suggests the bronze statue was stolen. The council has requested public assistance in the investigation: “If anyone has observed suspicious activity in the last 24 hours, please notify the Guardia Civil or local police.” The life-sized bronze statue captures the moment of Ballesteros’ victory at the 1984 Open Championship in St Andrews. Ballesteros was trailing Tom Watson in the final round but managed to turn the game around, winning by two strokes and securing the Claret Jug, thus denying Watson a third consecutive Open title.
Severiano Ballesteros: One of the Greatest Figures in European Golf
The bronze statue honored Spaniard Severiano Ballesteros, who contributed to four Ryder Cup wins as both a player and later as captain of the European team. His professional career highlights began at age 19 when he finished runner-up to Jack Nicklaus at the 1976 Open Championship. Ballesteros won three Open Championships (1979, 1984, and 1988) and the Masters in 1980 and 1983. Throughout his career, he received numerous awards, 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 PGA European Tour record with 50 tournament wins. He passed away in 2011 at age 54 from a brain tumor. The statue was created in 2009 by Spanish sculptor Salvador Garcia Ceballos and permanently installed in La Barqueria Park in 2017.