MADRID: Seve Ballesteros was in stable condition yesterday after undergoing surgery on a brain tumor a day earlier.
La Paz hospital said were no complications from the surgery. Spanish state news agency Efe reported the operation lasted 12 hours. The hospital said a sizable part of the 51-year-old Spaniard’s tumor was removed. It was not immediately known if it was malignant and it would be several days before the results were announced.
“At the moment he is conscious and stable, although he will not be able to receive any visitors in the coming days until he has recovered from the surgical process,” the hospital said in a statement. The hospital said Ballesteros was in the intensive care unit. It said there would be no further statements about him until he is moved from the unit, most likely next week. Ballesteros, winner of three British Opens and two Masters, briefly lost consciousness and was admitted Oct. 6 to the hospital, where the tumor was discovered. On Monday, he acknowledged having a tumor and said he faced the “hardest challenge of my life.” Ballesteros transformed European golf. When the Ryder Cup was expanded to include continental Europe in 1979, Ballesteros helped beat the United States in 1985 to begin two decades of dominance. He also captained Europe to victory in 1997 at Valderrama, Spain.
Karlsson eyes Order of Merit at Portugal Masters
In Vilamoura, Portugal, Robert Karlsson can move closer to the Order of Merit title with a good showing at the Portugal Masters this weekend, while Lee Westwood is trying to keep alive his outside chance at the prize.
Karlsson, a 39-year-old Swede, is aiming to capture his third consecutive European tour victory - a feat last achieved by Tiger Woods in 2006. He also wants to extend his lead at the top of the money list ahead of the Castello Masters and season-ending Volvo Masters.
No Swede has ever lifted the Order of Merit trophy, but Karlsson is feeling good about his chances.
Westwood, meanwhile, is chasing an unprecedented achievement — winning the Order of Merit without winning a tournament.
He has had 12 top-10 finishes in 19 tournaments but hasn’t recorded a single triumph this season.
“It’s a fine line between winning and finishing second and third,” he said. “I could quite easily be sitting here with four, five, six wins this year.” The winner at the par-72 Victoria Golf Club course in Portugal’s southern Algarve region takes home $684,220 (€498,000).
Westwood is third on the money list, but the winner’s purse could put him ahead of Karlsson and second-placed Padraig Harrington, who is not playing in the Portuguese event.
Westwood’s European Ryder Cup teammates Miguel Angel Jimenez, Graeme McDowell and Oliver Wilson are also in the field, along with 2007 US Open champion Angel Cabrera.
