Seve pulls out of Open

SEVE BALLESTEROS has pulled out of the Open at St Andrews in two weeks’ time with his old Ryder Cup partner Jose Maria Olazabal set to replace him.

Ballesteros, suffering from an arthritic back, has not played since November 2003 and in a letter to Royal and Ancient Club chief executive Peter Dawson said: “Unfortunately, I am still not at the competitive level I would expect, especially at a venue like St Andrews, which hosts the best event in the world.”

It was at the home of golf that the 48-year-old won the second of his three Open titles in 1984.