PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Florida, May 10 (Reuters) - Seve Ballesteros proved golf does not have to be a "robotic" sport, Phil Mickelson said on Tuesday in a tribute to the Spaniard who died last week aged 54 after a long battle with brain cancer.
Ballesteros is regarded as one of the greatest shot-makers of all time and American Mickelson, among the most gifted players of his own generation, praised the creative Spaniard for influencing his own game.
"The first time we played, we played at Torrey Pines, and the 11th hole is a par-three there and the pin was back right," Mickelson told reporters during the build-up to this week's Players Championship at the TCP Sawgrass.
"That was normally a five or six-iron shot and he carved a three-iron, a big 30 to 50-yard rounded slice, that would land in the middle of the green and then side spin over to the hole.
"It just opened my eyes to how many different ways you can get to some of these pins. The fact that you couldn't go right at the hole and stop it, he found a different way to come in sideways and get the ball close."
Mickelson, a four-times major champion, said he and Ballesteros spent a lot of time together doing photo shoots while representing the same clothing company.
"Those would be all-day affairs and in between shoots we would talk and hit some shots, have a little contest and be creative out of the bunkers, around trees and so forth," Mickelson recalled.
"I enjoyed that time with him because I saw his artistry. He showed that it doesn't have to be this robotic way of fairways, middle of the green and so forth.
"You can get to some of these pins that are challenging and make it fun. It was neat to see and to be able to have a relationship with him."
Former world number one Tiger Woods also recalled watching Ballesteros in action, most notably during the 1995 Ryder Cup at Oak Hill.
"It was fun to watch," 14-times major winner Woods said. "Granted he didn't drive it all that straight, but when he did, he was virtually unbeatable.
"You've never seen a person compete from the places he played from, and there's no greater example of that than when he played (Tom) Lehman at Oak Hill.
"He (Ballesteros) lost but still, the way he played -- chipping in, holing out, (making) up-and-downs from everywhere -- and Lehman is hitting fairway after green, fairway after green. It was just perfect Seve."
Lehman ended up winning that singles match 4&3 at Oak Hill.
In honour of Ballesteros, a five-times major champion who won 87 titles worldwide, the Spanish flag will fly all week at the TPc Sawgrass.
Ballesteros is regarded as one of the greatest shot-makers of all time and American Mickelson, among the most gifted players of his own generation, praised the creative Spaniard for influencing his own game.
"The first time we played, we played at Torrey Pines, and the 11th hole is a par-three there and the pin was back right," Mickelson told reporters during the build-up to this week's Players Championship at the TCP Sawgrass.
"That was normally a five or six-iron shot and he carved a three-iron, a big 30 to 50-yard rounded slice, that would land in the middle of the green and then side spin over to the hole.
"It just opened my eyes to how many different ways you can get to some of these pins. The fact that you couldn't go right at the hole and stop it, he found a different way to come in sideways and get the ball close."
Mickelson, a four-times major champion, said he and Ballesteros spent a lot of time together doing photo shoots while representing the same clothing company.
"Those would be all-day affairs and in between shoots we would talk and hit some shots, have a little contest and be creative out of the bunkers, around trees and so forth," Mickelson recalled.
"I enjoyed that time with him because I saw his artistry. He showed that it doesn't have to be this robotic way of fairways, middle of the green and so forth.
"You can get to some of these pins that are challenging and make it fun. It was neat to see and to be able to have a relationship with him."
Former world number one Tiger Woods also recalled watching Ballesteros in action, most notably during the 1995 Ryder Cup at Oak Hill.
"It was fun to watch," 14-times major winner Woods said. "Granted he didn't drive it all that straight, but when he did, he was virtually unbeatable.
"You've never seen a person compete from the places he played from, and there's no greater example of that than when he played (Tom) Lehman at Oak Hill.
"He (Ballesteros) lost but still, the way he played -- chipping in, holing out, (making) up-and-downs from everywhere -- and Lehman is hitting fairway after green, fairway after green. It was just perfect Seve."
Lehman ended up winning that singles match 4&3 at Oak Hill.
In honour of Ballesteros, a five-times major champion who won 87 titles worldwide, the Spanish flag will fly all week at the TPc Sawgrass.
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