Five times World Matchplay champion Seve Ballesteros is the surprise 12th player in the field for this year's event at Wentworth next week. The veteran Spaniard's caddy Pedro Ramseyer told Reuters today that Ballesteros would be playing in the tournament and was due to fly to London on Monday.
Promoters International Management Group will confirm Ballesteros's return to the event after a seven-year absence in an official announcement on Monday. The 12th place became available because American John Daly declined his invitation to take part. By coincidence, the last time Ballesteros was given a late invitation to the event came when Daly was a late withdrawal in 1994.
Ballesteros, 44, won the World Matchplay championship in 1981, 1982, 1984, 1985 and 1991, when he beat Zimbabwe's Nick Price 3 and 2 in the final. England's Lee Westwood will defend the title he won 12 months ago, with former champions Colin Montgomerie, Nick Faldo, Vijay Singh and Ian Woosnam also in the field.
Filed by Sinéad Kissane
