Here is your chance to own a piece of golfing history

PDF: St Andrews Program.pdf

If you’ve ever wanted to own a piece of history, now is your chance to do so. Inside Golf Newspaper is holding an internet only auction for the 2000 St. Andrews University graduation program autographed by Seve Ballesteros.

The University of St. Andrews presented an honorary degree to Seve Ballesteros and Colin Montgomery on July 18, 2000. The university was started in 1410 and is Scotland’s first university and the third oldest in the English speaking world.

To see this remarkable document in it’s entirety, click on the St Andrews Program.pdf below. It is full of timeless photos of memorable people, dating back to 1850.

All proceeds for the sale of the autographed program will go to the First Tee of Washington. Bids must be sent to ‘FirstTee.SeveBid@ymail.com’. Bidding will close on September 15. Seattle businessman Jim Bain, who received it from his friend Richard Cormack, an Emeritus Professor of Statistics at St. Andrews University, is donating the autographed program.

“Severiano Ballesteros was one of the sporting world’s greatest and most iconic characters and one of golf’s most prodigious talents. Known the world over just as “Seve”, the Spaniard became synonymous with flair, passion and magical shot-making from the moment he burst onto the international scene in 1976,” quoted from the BBC.

Ballesteros isn’t remembered so much for the number of tournaments he won but more for the way he won them. His good looks and gritty determination combined with imagination and the ability to improvise shots was the hallmark of his game. He came on the world golf stage with a flair that drew cheers from spectators and media around the world. He elevated the European Tour and started the European dominance of the Ryder Cup.

Ballesteros first gained attention as a 19-year-old, finishing second to Johnny Miller at the 1976 Open and became the youngest winner of the Claret Jug three years later. He won five major championships (three British Opens and two Masters) and amassed 50 wins on the European Tour and nine on the PGA Tour. He won 91 tournaments all together around the world.

Ballesteros lost a 2 1/2-year battle with brain cancer on May 7, 2011 at the age of 54.

Bidders please leave a contact number and email along with your bid so we can let you know if you have the winning bid.