Seve and Ireland – love at first sight

SEVERIANO Ballesteros knew as soon as he set foot in Ireland for the first time in 1976 that he would love the country and that the affection would be returned a thousand fold.

The Irish people couldn’t get enough of a man who hit the most unbelievable shots from the craziest of places with an unfathomable sense of belief in his own ability. He repaid their respect and admiration by coming over whenever he could and turning on the incomparable Ballesteros charm and style. There was always the Irish Open each year but in truth, any old excuse was good enough for Seve to drop by!

The Carrolls Irish Open was in its hey-day when he first played the championship at Portmarnock in 1976. He was only 21 but he was devilishly handsome and already a genius with a golf club in his hands. His charismatic personality lit up every scene wherever he went as he executed a series of remarkable shots that helped him into fifth place behind the American winner Ben Crenshaw.