Dubai: Javier Ballesteros — the son of late Spanish golfing legend Seve — said he feels no pressure to replicate the feat of his father at this week’s Omega Dubai Desert Classic.
Javier, 23, was invited as an amateur to represent his father — who won here in 1992 — as part of the tournament’s 25th anniversary celebrations. He played in an 18-hole $600,000 Champions’ Challenge match at Emirates Golf Club on Tuesday involving all 20 other past winners and will also play in the $2.5 million main event from Thursday.
Former World No. 1 and five time Major winner Seve Ballesteros died in 2011, aged 54, of brain cancer. Despite the enormity of his father’s legacy, Javier said he was relaxed about the prospect of honouring his memory. “My dad always told me to have fun and enjoy my golf,” Javier told Gulf News. “I’ll probably feel nervous at the first tee but there’s no pressure.
“I think he will be as proud of me if I made the cut as he would if I made 75 or 80. He never put any pressure on me, he just always told me that things go well if you work hard and practice.
“Obviously, I would like to make the cut, play well and be here for four days instead of two, but I’m just here to enjoy the experience and learn. It will be nice just to be around all these great players in Dubai.”
Asked what he thought his father would think of him following in his footsteps here 22-years after his Dubai win, Javier replied: “I’m sure he would be very happy. I was talking to my mum last night and said I would have preferred to have come here as a caddie because it would mean I would be here caddying for my dad. But I think he would be happy to see me here playing to honour him.”
Of their golfing similarities, Javier said: “I’m quite good at the short game, not as good as him, but, I learnt a lot from him. We always went to the bunker with many balls and around the green. Of course I’m not as good as him, but maybe that is our similarity.”
And to those who never knew Seve, Javier was keen to give an insight into his character. “At home he was always kissing and hugging my brother and sister,” he said. “I don’t know what the word for it is in English but in Spanish it’s carinosa (loving or affectionate). Of course he was sometimes tough on his caddie on the golf course but at home he was great.”
