Ballesteros recovers to show true mettle

IT would hardly have ranked among his great rounds at Augusta, but the opening 73 by Seve Ballesteros yesterday was still highly significant, given his recent form. Particularly impressive was the fact that he kept a bogey off his card for the last 11 holes, prompting him to remark with a typical grin "I've still got some good shots in the bag."

In terms of Masters performances, it could be argued that the Spaniard is yesterday's man, not having challenged seriously for this title since a play off defeat by Larry Mize in 1987. But those who retain vivid memories of his tearful return to the clubhouse after three putting the first play off hole, still cherish the hope that he might somehow recapture the old magic.

They certainly swelled the gallery for his pairing with Jeff Maggert, though they must have feared on the outward journey that they might be witnessing a repeat of the Players' Championship two weeks ago when he withdrew after a first nine holes of 41 five over par. That concern had to do with visits to three bunkers off the tee, in the opening four holes.

"The swing is certainly looking better, but it's still not quite night," said former Ryder Cup colleague Ken Brown, now wearing the hat of a radio commentator. Soon we were heading for the seventh, a 360 yard straightaway par four and one of the easier holes on Augusta's front nine.

By this stage, it seemed that trouble was beckoning Ballesteros at every turn. Unlike the good times when pressure heightened only on the final nine of the final round, the Spaniard had been battling for survival, right from his opening tee shot. But there can be few sportsmen more willing to accept a challenge.

In the event, he had escaped relatively unscathed on the opening six holes which he covered in one over par, largely through the undiminished brilliance of his short game. Now he faced the seventh where the only real problem should have been club selection for a second shot to a treacherous, elevated green.

Taking a three wood off the tee for safety, Ballesteros felt a familiar, crushing ache as the shot was blocked to the right of the generous, 40 yard fairway. His petite wife Carmen went up on her toes but even then lacked the height to see where the wayward ball had gone. "It's just there," I indicated. Dejected, she walked away, muttering something in Spanish.

His manager, Roddy Carr, had no difficulty in recognising the problem. Faced with four towering pines, Ballesteros had no shot to the green. All he could do was chase a low, four iron into the cavernous left front bunker from where he failed to get up and down, so carding another bogey.

The chance of a heartening birdie slipped away when a four footer missed the target at the eighth, heightening the concern that he might not be able to hang on. Could this be the makings of his first missed cut at Augusta since 1984 when he failed to survive as defending champion? Indeed he had suffered the same fate three years previously, also as defender of the title.

On the homeward journey, however, Ballesteros showed his true mettle. Though his driving remained fragile, there was a growing confidence in his iron shots which were under not nearly as much pressure as in last September's Ryder Cup when he hit only three fairways over the three days.

Par followed par, until the long 15th where a four wood second shot of 245 yards was pulled dangerously left. Fortunately, the ball hit a wall below a spectator stand, bounced back to within a few yards of the putting surface from where he chipped to two feet for a birdie four.

His play of the 18th was no less spectacular. There, he over cut his drive, finishing too far right for a clear shot to the green. The caddie could hardly believe his ears when he was asked for the yardage to the flag. Surely his boss couldn't be contemplating a shot through a pine tree?

Ballesteros had another option in mind. Taking a seven iron, he played a wonderfully controlled slice which circumvented the tree and left the ball just off the back edge of the green. From there, his birdie chip hit the hole and he had a tap in for ii closing par.

Referring to his good fortune at the 15th, he declared with an innocent grin "I've always been a lucky player." This was for the benefit of American scribes who won't let him forget that he played out of a car park beside Royal Lytham's 16th hole on the way to a British Open victory in 1979.

The Spaniard went on "People seem to forget that coming here, I had only eight tournament rounds since the Ryder Cup last September. I feel confident my game is improving." Then, with typical optimism, he concluded "I know I can still compete here."