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Seve Ballesteros vows to return to Open
Three-time British Open champion Seve Ballesteros says he will return to compete in his favourite tournament again after his chronic back injury forced him out of this week's event on the Old Course.
The Spaniard, who triumphed here in 1984, was asked in a news conference on Monday if he would now follow another thrice-winner, 65-year-old Jack Nicklaus, into retirement after the American announced that this week's Open would be his swansong.
"I am only 48. I will be back but when, I don't know," Ballesteros said. He has long struggled with the back injury and last year was briefly confined to a wheelchair while undergoing treatment.
He is making tentative steps back towards a competitive return, however, but decided at the end of last month that his game was not in shape to do him justice at St Andrews.
"This is the best tournament in the world and I don't feel I have reached the level of the game in a competitive way to be here," he said.
"I have so much respect for this place and thought it was better to allow somebody else more competitive than myself to play.
"By coincidence it happens to be Jose Maria (Olazabal) who is not only a great friend but a great champion.
"I had done everything possible to be ready for the Open despite not competing for a year and a half or so. I shall be back just as soon as I am ready."
Ballesteros also named twice-U.S. Masters winner Olazabal as his replacement as captain for the Continental Europe team at the Seve Trophy which will be held in Tees Valley, northern England, from September 22-25.
The event, founded by Ballesteros and held every other year, pitches a GB and Ireland team captained by Colin Montgomerie against mainland Europe.
Olazabal told the news conference: "Seve has done me a great honour. I have never captained a team like this before. If I do the job 40 percent as well as he has then that should be good enough to win the trophy."
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