A bronze statue of golf legend Severiano ‘Seve’ Ballesteros has vanished from his hometown, prompting theft investigations.
A life-size bronze statue of the Spanish golf legend Severiano ‘Seve’ Ballesteros, installed in 2009, has disappeared from his hometown of Pedrena in the region of Cantabria, Spain, according to local authorities. Spanish police have launched an investigation after the municipal council of Marina de Cudeyo announced on Instagram that the ‘unfortunate event’ over the weekend suggests the statue was stolen. The council has asked the public for help in the investigation: ‘If anyone has noticed suspicious activity, especially within the last 24 hours, please inform the Guardia Civil or local police.’
The life-size bronze statue captured the moment of Ballesteros’ 1984 Open Championship victory at St. Andrews. Ballesteros was trailing Tom Watson in the final round but managed to overturn the lead and win by two strokes, denying the American Watson a third consecutive Open title and claiming the Claret Jug himself.
Severiano Ballesteros: One of European Golf’s Greatest Figures
The bronze statue honored Severiano Ballesteros, who contributed to four Ryder Cup victories for Europe as both a player and captain. His professional career achievements began as a 19-year-old when he finished runner-up to Jack Nicklaus at the 1976 Open Championship. Ballesteros won three Open Championships (1979, 1984, 1988) and the Masters Tournament twice (1980, 1983). He earned numerous accolades including Golfer of the Year awards, 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 50 European Tour victories. He passed away in 2011 at age 54 due to a brain tumor.
The statue was created in 2009 by Spanish sculptor Salvador Garcia Ceballos and permanently installed in La Barqueria Park in 2017.