Five-time major winner Seve Ballesteros confirmed Sunday that he has a brain tumor. “Once I had been able to inform my three children personally and their mother, I can now communicate to you the illness I am suffering from. After an in-depth check up which has been carried out on me in the La Paz Hospital they have detected a brain tumor,” Ballesteros said in a statement released by Madrid's La Paz hospital. The 51-year-old Ballesteros, who was admitted to hospital on Monday after briefly losing consciousness, said that he would undergo a biopsy on Tuesday before the doctors decided how to proceed. “Throughout my career I have been among the best at overcoming challenges on the golf course,” Ballesteros said. “Now I want to be the best confronting the hardest challenge of my life, with all my strength, counting on all of you who are sending me encouraging messages.” Ballesteros did not give any more details on the test results. It was unknown whether the tumor was benign or malignant. “I have always shown my solidarity with those people who face illness, including those whose (illnesses) are much worse than mine,” said Ballesteros, who was also admitted to a hospital last year when doctors discovered an irregular heartbeat. “Now my wish is to ask for respect towards my family and especially my children. We will keep you informed.” Jose Maria Olazabal, who visited Ballesteros after playing at the Madrid Masters on Sunday, said that his former Ryder Cup partner appeared in good physical shape. Ballesteros, who won a record 50 times on the European tour, won the British Open three times and the Masters twice before retiring last year due to a long history of back pain. He has since focused mostly on golf course design.
