VIRGINIA WATER, England, May 23 (Reuters) - Manuel Ballesteros broke down and cried as some of golf's biggest names turned up at Wentworth on Monday to pay tribute to his late brother Seve.
Manuel was an experienced professional himself and had already won in Europe when his younger brother burst on to the scene in the mid-1970s.
However, Ballesteros senior put his own career to one side in order to help Seve, who died earlier this month at the age of 54 after a two-year battle with brain cancer, start on the road to greatness.
"I have so much history with Seve, more than his nephews, more than my other two brothers, more than the rest of the family," 61-year-old Manuel told Reuters in an emotional interview.
"I used to travel with him on the circuit, I shared a room with him, practised with him. I was there with him when he won all five of his majors, apart from the 1983 U.S. Masters.
"He was THE most charismatic player, the player with THE most genius. But I have lost my brother, not a golfing genius, and he was someone I was very proud of," said a tearful Manuel as he made his way up the hill leading to the iconic Wentworth clubhouse.
Ryder Cup captain Jose Maria Olazabal, eight-times European number one Colin Montgomerie, U.S. Open champion Graeme McDowell, Retief Goosen, Paul Casey, Justin Rose and Ross Fisher were among the competitors in Monday's 'Ole Seve' pro-am.
All funds raised from the event, held at the same leafy West Course where the European Tour's flagship PGA Championship gets underway on Thursday, are in aid of the Seve Ballesteros Foundation and Cancer Research UK.
Manuel, who won twice during his professional career, paid an especially warm tribute to Seve's former Ryder Cup partner Olazabal.
GOOD FRIENDS
"Jose Maria talks with this (pointing to his head) and with this (pointing to his heart)," he said. "He and Seve were very good friends."
Manuel revealed he had serious health problems of his own shortly before his brother's death.
"I had heart surgery 15 days before he died," said the 61-year-old. "I feel better but I still feel some pain and I take tablets to help.
"I have nothing artificial round my heart but I feel lucky to be alive. I said before the surgery, 'Don't tell Seve because he has enough on his mind', but someone from the family told him and he was crying, crying, crying.
"I'm not angry but I was upset by that."
His eyes lit up though when he looked back fondly at Seve's early days on tour.
"He was 17 when he started and I was 25," Manuel explained. "I had already been playing tournaments for seven years in Europe so I did everything for him, booked his air tickets, accommodation, everything off the course, so that nobody would bother him.
"All he needed to concentrate on was practice, practice, practice and playing, playing, playing."
Manuel said his handsome young brother was always destined to be a top golfer.
Asked if he knew Seve would one day be the world number one, he replied: 'No, not really -- who can be sure that his own brother can be the best player in the world?
"I knew he was going to be a really good player but I never imagined he could win five majors. I am no god but I knew at that age he was going to be one of the best, at least in Europe."
Manuel was an experienced professional himself and had already won in Europe when his younger brother burst on to the scene in the mid-1970s.
However, Ballesteros senior put his own career to one side in order to help Seve, who died earlier this month at the age of 54 after a two-year battle with brain cancer, start on the road to greatness.
"I have so much history with Seve, more than his nephews, more than my other two brothers, more than the rest of the family," 61-year-old Manuel told Reuters in an emotional interview.
"I used to travel with him on the circuit, I shared a room with him, practised with him. I was there with him when he won all five of his majors, apart from the 1983 U.S. Masters.
"He was THE most charismatic player, the player with THE most genius. But I have lost my brother, not a golfing genius, and he was someone I was very proud of," said a tearful Manuel as he made his way up the hill leading to the iconic Wentworth clubhouse.
Ryder Cup captain Jose Maria Olazabal, eight-times European number one Colin Montgomerie, U.S. Open champion Graeme McDowell, Retief Goosen, Paul Casey, Justin Rose and Ross Fisher were among the competitors in Monday's 'Ole Seve' pro-am.
All funds raised from the event, held at the same leafy West Course where the European Tour's flagship PGA Championship gets underway on Thursday, are in aid of the Seve Ballesteros Foundation and Cancer Research UK.
Manuel, who won twice during his professional career, paid an especially warm tribute to Seve's former Ryder Cup partner Olazabal.
GOOD FRIENDS
"Jose Maria talks with this (pointing to his head) and with this (pointing to his heart)," he said. "He and Seve were very good friends."
Manuel revealed he had serious health problems of his own shortly before his brother's death.
"I had heart surgery 15 days before he died," said the 61-year-old. "I feel better but I still feel some pain and I take tablets to help.
"I have nothing artificial round my heart but I feel lucky to be alive. I said before the surgery, 'Don't tell Seve because he has enough on his mind', but someone from the family told him and he was crying, crying, crying.
"I'm not angry but I was upset by that."
His eyes lit up though when he looked back fondly at Seve's early days on tour.
"He was 17 when he started and I was 25," Manuel explained. "I had already been playing tournaments for seven years in Europe so I did everything for him, booked his air tickets, accommodation, everything off the course, so that nobody would bother him.
"All he needed to concentrate on was practice, practice, practice and playing, playing, playing."
Manuel said his handsome young brother was always destined to be a top golfer.
Asked if he knew Seve would one day be the world number one, he replied: 'No, not really -- who can be sure that his own brother can be the best player in the world?
"I knew he was going to be a really good player but I never imagined he could win five majors. I am no god but I knew at that age he was going to be one of the best, at least in Europe."
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