The Loop

Seve cancels plans to go to St. Andrews

June 24, 2010

Seve Ballesteros has canceled plans to play in the four-hole Champions Challenge at St. Andrews on the eve of the British Open on the advice of his doctors, he announced on his website.

Ballesteros, who has been battling brain cancer, arrived at the decision after undergoing routine tests that he has every three months. His medical team advised him "that at this time he should not put himself under any undue stress or in potentially emotional situations. It is for this reason that they have advised him against traveling to St. Andrews."

"Despite the excellent general state that Mr. Ballesteros enjoys, we do not think the trip to Scotland, this coming July, would be appropriate," his oncologist Dr. Cristobel Belda, said on the website. "It is important that Mr. Ballesteros continues with a peaceful life and our advice has been not to travel to Scotland."

"I very much wanted to be at the British Open in St. Andrews next month to personally thank all the golf fans and friends who have given me their support, not only during these two years, when I have been recovering from my illness, but also to thank them for the affection they have shown during my golf career," he said on his website."I am aware that there might be people who have been preparing their trip to encourage and cheer me up. Hence, I do not want to disappoint anyone at the last minute and after listening to the doctors' advice I have taken the difficult decision not to travel to St. Andrews."

Golf Digest's Jaime Diaz visited Ballesteros at his home in Pedrena, Spain, to discuss his recovery. The story is here.

-- John Strege