Seve Ballesteros Stays Upbeat During Fight With Cancer

Senior tour players have been known to call the Champions Tour "the greatest mulligan in life." I think Seve Ballesteros, a senior in his own regard, might disagree with that assessment.

Ballesteros, 51, was diagnosed with a brain tumor six months ago, has since gone through four different surgeries and is on his fourth stint of chemotherapy. Seve was always known for his ability to get up-and-down from just about anywhere on the golf course, but is now having to scramble with real life. But the thing is, Seve's just happy to have a chance.

"I'm not called Seve Ballesteros, I'm called Seve Mulligan because I've had the luck to be given a mulligan, which in golf is a second chance,'' he said. "I've been given the mulligan of my life. The proof is that I'm alive, that I can do things, that I speak, I'm perfectly able to reason.

"I've had a lot of luck, which is the truth.''

Seve always seemed to be the one that created his own luck. Winning five major championships in his career, Seve was renowned as a gentleman and a fan favorite and his hospital room in Madrid shows as much. Ballesteros says he has received around 300,000 get-well cards from fans and has kept an upbeat attitude even after losing 33 pounds since he was admitted in October.

"This is the most important shot of my life. I'm fighting to win my sixth major,'' Marca quoted Seve as saying. "Life has given me a second chance.''

If you think golf is completely off Seve's mind in times of personal struggle, you're crazy. When Ballesteros awoke from one of his operations, his brother Baldomero said his first words were: "British Open. Must win it Saturday."

We're all cheering for you, Seve. Win this round and maybe the next thing we can work on is another Claret Jug.