Former Caddie Billy Foster shares valuable insight of the great Severiano Ballesteros
Late Severiano Ballesteros’ former caddie Billy Foster, reminiscing the time he spent with Europe’s great golfer, hailed him as the “People’s Champion”. Foster shared insights about the five-time major winner’s magical shot making techniques which were often
impossible both in theory and practice.
Foster is one of the most accomplished caddies in the business and has also carried the bag of Tiger Woods. He currently caddies for World number one Lee Westwood.
"He was the People's Champion, a warrior on the golf course," said Foster. "It is never easy when a true gentleman and a legend of the game passes away but in some ways it's a bit of a relief he doesn't have to suffer any more."
Ballesteros passed away on Saturday morning May 7th, at his ancestral home in Pedrena, North of Spain, after a three-year long battle with the raging brain tumour. He acquired the dreadful cancer in 2008 when he fainted at the Madrid International
Airport while boarding a flight for Germany and was subsequently diagnosed with the cancer.
Many of the high profile players of contemporary golf paid homage to the former giant of the game, acknowledging his invaluable contribution for the promotion of European golf. Ballesteros' ceaseless efforts forced the officials at Ryder Cup to bring the
continental Europe in its fold.
Foster also shed some light on how the former maestro was able to pull in amazing shots in his stellar career. One, of particular importance, was the 150 yard shot Ballesteros played in Switzerland. Foster said that no matter how hard he tried to convince
Ballesteros to change his strategy and to stop trying an impossible shot, he never stopped. Instead he asked Foster to step back as it was quite possible for him.
"Through some trees where there was a tiny gap the size of a dinner plate, over a swimming pool, over 60-foot trees, and got it five yards short of the green and then chipped in," added Foster. "Seve just laughed and I got down on my hands and knees and
bowed to him."
Ballesteros had a knack of inventing shots that were previously not known. At the age of 19, he stunned the field when he threaded a shot through the bunkers onto the green at the 18th hole, finishing tied with Jack Nicklaus. He won the Dutch
open the same year.
Foster also said it was the Masters at Augusta National that brought the best out of the champion. Once when Ballesteros was planning to hit a wedge, Foster convinced him to use a 9-iron which he did, yielding terrible results. Foster recalled the sheering
wrath of Ballesteros when he hurled all sorts of abuses at him, but later when he had finished the hole with a remarkable 60-foot putt with a 15-foot break, he turned around and said, "Don't worry Billy it's not your fault -- it's my fault for listening to
you'."
Ballesteros won the Masters in 1980 and 1983, US Open in 1987, the Open Championship in 1979, 1984 and 1988, and the PGA Championship in 1984.
Ballesteros kept a low profile after his soaring back pain forced him to take a back seat in 1999. He tried his luck later in the Champions Tour but with little success. He announced his retirement with tears in his eyes at the 2007 British Open, one his
favourite tournament venues. He won a whopping 50 times on the European Tour and 87 worldwide titles including six on the Japan Golf Tour.
Ballesteros funeral ceremony will be held on Wednesday at his home town in Pedrena and a similar ceremony will be held at TPC Sawgrass the same day.
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