Olly steps in for Seve

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.

Olazabal missed out by three strokes in the qualifying tournament at Sunningdale on Monday, but steps in because he is the next highest player in the world rankings.

“It’s amazing,” said his manager Sergio Gomez. “If Seve had pulled out next week it might not have been Jose Maria given the spot because the world rankings change on Monday.

“He is absolutely delighted. He was disappointed on Monday and absolutely wanted to be at St Andrews.”

For Ballesteros, however, it continues an absence from golf which stretches back to November 2003.

Last week the three-time champion’s nephew Ivan, now his manager, had said that Ballesteros was having treatment on his arthritic back in a bid to make a comeback at the Old Course.

But he has now conceded defeat in that battle and it remains to be seen if he will play competitively again. A year ago he voiced the fear his glittering career was over.

Ballesteros, the most charismatic player in European golf history, last played the Open in 2001 and has not played any major since the 2003 Masters.

His last appearance was a sad five and four singles defeat to opposing captain Colin Montgomerie in the Seve Trophy match, Continental Europe against Britain and Ireland, at El Saler in Valencia 19 months ago.

Ballesteros had hoped to make a return to Augusta in April, but pulled out after injuring a knee practising at San Roque in southern Spain. That also prevented him playing this year’s Spanish Open.

He said then: “I need to be true to myself and recognise that I’m not in the best condition to play.

“I’m just waiting and obviously won’t start playing again until I feel I can do so in a dignified manner.”

In his last 23 European tour events the former world number one has made only two halfway cuts and he last played all four rounds of a major in 1996.

There are rumours now that he will stand down as Continental Europe’s captain at the next Seve Trophy match at The Wynyard in County Durham – and be replaced there as well by Olazabal, although his fellow Spaniard last week said he knew nothing about such a move.