12 May 2011

Thousands farewell Seve Ballesteros

10:41 am on 12 May 2011

Thousands of mourners have paid their final respects to the Spanish golf legend Seve Ballesteros in a simple, moving funeral in his home village in Northern Spain.

A kilted piper led a cortege headed by family members, with one of Ballesteros's sons Javier carrying an urn containing his father's ashes which were to be scattered in his garden beside a magnolia he had chosen himself.

The mourners included five Ryder Cup golf captains - Jose Maria Olazabal, Bernard Gallacher, Sam Torrance, Nick Faldo and Colin Montgomerie.

The winner of five major titles in a career total of 87 worldwide died at the age of 54 last weekend after being diagnosed with a malignant brain tumour in October 2008.

The Spanish flag is flying this week at the Players Championship in Florida.