Champions Tour players hoping for best for Seve

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THE WOODLANDS, Texas -- This one has hit home. Hard.

Many of his contemporaries had hoped Seve Ballesteros would enjoy a good, long Champions Tour career. (Dill/Getty Images)

Stomach-churning, headshaking, omigosh-he's-our-age hard. Prayers and crossed fingers hard.

Any-news-yet hard.

Yes, the thoughts and prayers of so many players at the Administaff Small Business Classic are with Seve Ballesteros, who is half a world away in grave condition after two brain surgeries.

"The hardest thing is he's 51 and fighting for his life,'' said Nick Price. "That's too young. But if anyone can get out of a bad lie, it's him.''

Price wasn't being flip. Just honest. Over the years, Ballesteros has hit more miraculous shots than anyone. He's beaten half this field with improbable shots and played headshakers when paired with another quarter of them.

And they were looking forward to having him play the Champions Tour -- at least part time. Yet he played in just one event -- the Regions Charity Classic in Birmingham -- before announcing his retirement last year.

Lee Trevino played with him at that event.

"I knew something was wrong with him,'' he said. "He was hitting the ball everywhere. He was hitting shots I'd never seen him hit before.''

Ballesteros never was the straightest driver in the game. He'd make birdies and pars from everywhere -- rough, over scoreboards, out of parking lots -- that made you shake your head. Riveting shots. Artistic. And always with an exclamation point -- a fist pump or a dance or a smile.

"To watch what he would conjure up was so exciting,'' Ben Crenshaw said. "And he would make it. He was dashing, handsome and so full of charisma.''

Players spoke in the past tense because Ballesteros retired last year after a series of struggles. He lost his game, was divorced and his girlfriend was killed in an accident in 2007.

"We know what he's been through the last few years,'' Ben Crenshaw said. "It's heartbreaking. We're just really shocked."

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Doctors still have not released information on the tumor they removed. They have said only they performed another surgery because of swelling and he is now in intensive care.

"He's shown enough such tenacity and such incredible artistry over his career,'' Price said. "He deserves something good after all he's gone through in the last six or seven years, even longer.''

Added former Ryder Cup teammate Sandy Lyle: "He's got a battle on his hands. We all know it's a pretty serious thing when you start tinkering in the brain.''

Joey Sindelar, who is the same age as Ballesteros, shook his head.

"All of what he's ever done flashes back,'' Sindelar said. "All the greatness of this game, all the gamesmanship and all the genius of his game . .

"It's tough that his game suffered and that he couldn't have been one of us through his 40s. All these kids (young PGA TOUR players) never got to see what he did with a 56-degree wedge -- they didn't even have a 60-degree wedge back then.''

Players are telling stories of shots that beat them. Lyle talked about a miracle 45-foot putt through puddles. Jay Haas brought up an amazing shot at the second hole at Augusta National that settled on the ledge and didn't ruffle a blade of grass.

"This is a reminder,'' Mark O'Meara said, "of how fragile life is."

At the same time, they all point to the face that Ballesteros never backed down from a fight and that will serve him well.

"We know he's a very tough character,'' Lyle said. "We'll all keep our fingers crossed to him.''

And, added Jeff Sluman, "pray it comes back where it's treatable and he'll get through the complications and resume an active, wonderful life.''