I have followed golf my entire life. One of the greats of the game is Seve Ballesteros (1957-2011). As Wikipedia notes, Seve was a Spanish professional golfer, a World No. 1 who was one of the sport's leading figures from the mid-1970s to the mid-1990s. A member of a gifted golfing family, he won more than 90 international tournaments in his career, including five major championships between 1979 and 1988: The Open Championship three times, and the Masters Tournament twice.
I love this 30-second clip of Seve sinking his birdie putt on the 18th hole at St. Andrew's to win The Open Championship. Here it is:
There is so much to love about this moment.
First and foremost, Seve makes the clutch putt - a birdie on the 18th green in the final round of The Open Championship at the Old Course at St. Andrew's. There is no larger stage.
And then there is his unbridled JOY when the ball drops in the hole. Seve shakes in his shoes and pumps his fist. And then magically that fist pump transforms into a what amounts to a series of salutes to the appreciative crowd. What follows is his heartfelt hug for his caddy. Gives me goosebumps every time I watch it. The commentary by Peter Alliss is the icing on the cake.
Seve died at age 54 in 2011. Life goes fast. Cherish every moment. Live with joy.
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