Seve says flu cause of withdrawal

SEVE BALLESTEROS yesterday withdrew from the Volvo PGA Championship at Wentworth, a day after being fined and severely reprimanded for incidents at the recent Italian Open.

But the reason Ballesteros gave to tournament director David Garland 90 minutes before he was due to tee off had nothing to do with the disciplinary hearing he attended on the eve of the event.

The Spaniard said he was suffering from “flu symptoms.”

“I felt very unwell during the night and did not sleep,” he said in a statement issued by the European Tour.

“I would like to apologise to Volvo and all the spectators for not being able to play this week. I feel very weak today and believe it is very important that the next player in the field has the best opportunity to compete in this great championship.”

Midlander Simon Wakefield was the man called in at short notice.

Ballesteros had also spoken only through a statement after being punished a reported £5,000 by the tour’s tournament committee for calling tour officials the “PGA Mafia” and criticising tour chief referee John Paramor, who had been forced to disqualify the former Ryder Cup captain when he refused to accept a one-shot penalty for slow play.