Mickelson's Masters tribute to Seve
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Holder Phil Mickelson has ordered up a Spanish feast for Masters champions dinner to honor twice-winner Seve Ballesteros, who is unable to travel to Augusta because of a brain tumor.
Mickelson, who used a short game reminiscent of the great Spanish master to win his third green jacket, asked for a gazpacho starter, paella, beef tenderloin with manchego cheese and tortilla, and Spanish apple pie with ice cream. "All of the past champions are really thinking about Seve," said Mickelson, who has said Ballesteros' 1980 Masters victory inspired him as a nine-year-old.
"Honoring Seve is easy and no big deal, but I just want him to know that we all wish he was here and we are thinking about him so we are just having a little Spanish cuisine tonight," he said.
It is a Masters tradition that the tournament's defending champion selects the dinner menu for the following year.
Mickelson recalled how thrilled he was to meet Ballesteros when, at age 17 and playing in his first PGA Tour event in San Diego, he played a practise round with the Spaniard.
"He was the classiest gentleman to me," said Mickelson. "From that day on and the rest of my career, he has been the nicest guy and supportive and been nothing but class to me, and I just always appreciated that."
Ballesteros turns 54 on Saturday.
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