Seve Ballesteros: Golf's Maverick Genius Up Close

This special Masters week episode celebrates the extraordinary golfing life of Seve Ballesteros, one of the most charismatic and talented players in golf history. Join us as distinguished guests Robert Green, David Cannon and Mike Clayton share their personal encounters, insights, and iconic moments that define Seve's enduring legacy. Main Topics Seve's innovative playing style and creative shot-making Key moments from his career including Open wins and Masters triumphs Seve's impact on European golf and the Ryder Cup revolution Personal stories from photographers, journalists, and competitors The enduring charisma and personality that made Seve a beloved figure worldwide In this episode: The significance of Seve's 1976 Open run at Royal Birkdale and his rise to international fame Details behind his most famous wins, including the 1979 Open, the 1980 Masters and 1984 Open The story of his near-miss at the 1986 Masters and the emotional impact Behind-the-scenes anecdotes from his close relationships with journalists and photographers His memorable final appearances at The Open and how he was loved globally Timestamps:  00:00 Introduction to this week's guests 02:44 David Cannon on playing with a young Seve in 1976 08:00 Car Park Champion: Seve wins his first major, the 1979 Open at Lytham 11:57 Seve: An elite driver of the ball 13:25 Why Seve loved Augusta National 14:26 Seve’s uncle Ramon Sota and his Masters appearances 15:16 Seve's background and start in golf 17:02 Seve finds life tough in the US 18:11 1980: Seve wins the Masters 19:43 Tuning up in Australia in 1983 20:42 Seve wins the 1983 Masters 23:13 Seve miracles at the 1983 Ryder Cup 27:33 Seve's greatest moment: the 1984 Open at St Andrews 31:53 Seve's heartbreak at the 1986 Masters 40:32 1987: a year of lows and highs 44:21 Getting to know Seve  – personal insights 48:27 1988: Seve's fifth and final major win 51:23 A memorable trip to visit Seve at home 56:20 Seve's miracle shot at Crans in 1993 59:39 Summing up Seve 01:01:41 Seve's Open farewell: 2006 at Royal Liverpool Resources & Links: Sounder Golf Dan Davies on Seve Seve Ballesteros Official Foundation Golf Digest - Seve's Iconic Shots 1980 Masters - Classic Footage 1986 Masters Final Round Highlights 1988 Open: Seve's fifth major (Official Film) RNGC on Instagram RNGC: Sacred Acre newsletter (Dan Davies) Connect with the Guests: Robert Green - Twitter Mike Clayton - Website | Twitter David Cannon - Instagram | Website  Celebrating Seve's spirit, talent, and enduring inspiration for golfers around the world. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices