Struggling Seve still a star

Eight minutes before his tee-time, Severiano Ballesteros approaches the first tee, pausing at the ropes to sign autographs for 17 people before striding over to the starter, Ivor Robson, for a quick chat. He is joined by Costantino Rocca, but young Australian prodigy Aaron Baddeley, the third member of the three ball, is nowhere to be seen.

Ballesteros has made one cut this season, the Madeira Island Open where he eventually finished tied for 47th place, and has failed to progress past the two round cut-off in 11 tournaments. It is hardly surprising he prowls the tee box impatiently.

On Thursday he shot a six under par 78, and needs a swift return to the halcyon days if the Smurfit European Open is not to become another entry in a litany of failure. Baddeley eventually materialises with two minutes to spare, receiving a little ragging from his playing partners. Ballesteros was last to drive. The pre-shot ritual is familiar: two practice swings, full, fluent, aggressive. The small gallery waits expectantly. A microsecond after impact his right-hand flies from the club and the ball is heading for the lake on the left.

It comes to rest in the heavy rough one yard from the hazard. The Spanish icon is hampered by a dreadful lie and a precarious stance on the water's edge. It matters not one whit as Ballesteros hits a superb iron to 15 feet and subsequently rolls the putt into the centre of the hole for a birdie.

He bisects the fairway with his drive at the next, a feat he will achieve on eight occasions from 14 opportunities.

The third, a 170-yard par three, appears innocuous enough but the Spaniard lands on a sprinkler head and the ball careers through the back of the green; a duff chip and three putts mean a double bogey.

Driver and three wood leave him within 20 yards of the par five, fourth. Finally, a glimpse of the artistry that marked him as the outstanding player of his generation: he pitches stone dead for another birdie.

Two successive drives miss the fairways on the left; twice he slams the tee peg in frustration but on both occasions he makes par. The last three holes on the front nine see him haemorrhage a couple of shots, three-putting each time.

In keeping with Seve's game, the gallery has been a little inconsistent, from a peak of 100 down to half that number. It includes his wife Carmen and youngest son Miguel. Following a superb drive on 10, Ballesteros rewards himself with an ice cream.

He chooses to hit driver from the fairway: no matter how frustrating and inconsistent his game one cannot but marvel at the Spaniard's competitive instincts.

The ball comes to rest 25 yards from the green; he pitches to a matter of inches from the hole for a tap-in birdie. A glorious eight iron second shot to three feet at the next offers another birdie and sees Ballesteros striding purposefully to the 12th tee. He misses the green long and left but a glorious flop shot shaves the hole.

He misses the next three greens in regulation but a glorious ability to scramble allows him not to concede a shot to the course. Rocca, who has moved himself to six under, suffers a traumatic 15th hole. He drives behind a tree on the left, receives no succour when summoning a referee, has to reverse the blade and then mishits his sideways escape shot.

The tree receives a blow of the club, shortly followed by the golf bag when he pushes his third shot right and short of the par four: he eventually takes six and you don't have to speak Italian to get the gist of his feelings. It's Baddeley's turn to struggle at the 16th, visiting the water.

Ballesteros, despite a poor second and third shot, has negotiated the river, albeit ending up buried in greenside rough. Undaunted, he demonstrates his exquisite touch and his floated pitch disappears into the hole for his fifth birdie. He is three under on the back nine.

The penultimate hole sees him beckon Miguel onto the fairway for a quick hug and a kiss, then directing the youngster to "uncle" Costantino, who replicates the gestures. It's just as well young Baddeley lags some way behind on the fairway, having just driven into the Liffey the smoke is almost visible.

Ballesteros misses the green on the left but no matter how penal the rough, his vision and touch allow him to defy the odds once again. A superb drive on the 18th - too good because the green tempts him in two. He has 255 yards to go, the balls travels 230 yards in the air, before plunging into the lake. A shake of the head, lips drawn back on his teeth, he stomps off to drop a ball.

Down in three, it's a bogey and a level par round of 72, not that the gallery that surround the 18th care. His ovation is especially warm and deservedly so. Despite all his trials and tribulations he remains a great entertainer with a great attitude.