Seve Ballesteros plans to decide before the New Year if his illustrious playing career is over. The 49-year-old, in Ireland to pay a visit to The Heritage in Co Laois, is considering his future after a long struggle with injury.

Ballesteros, whose last tournament was the Open at Hoylake in July, said: "I am still thinking about what I am going to do.

"My health is okay, but by the end of the year I will make an announcement on whether I will start playing again or if I am going to concentrate on designing courses and organising events."

Ballesteros returns next September as captain of the Continental Europe side in the Seve Trophy at The Heritage, in Co Laois,  but this time it will be in a non-playing role with Nick Faldo - now Europe's Ryder Cup captain - taking over in charge of the Britain and Ireland team from Colin Montgomerie.

The three-times Open champion missed the halfway cut with rounds of 74 and 77 at Royal Liverpool, but since his only previous start this year saw him shoot two 81s and finish last in the French Open his performance was not as bad as was feared — by himself as much as others.

"It was very difficult for me to enter and I was a bit afraid," stated Ballesteros. "I'd been three years without competition and then I went into the best tournament in the world with so much pressure.

"I did it for my son. He wanted to caddie for me and so I agreed."

The former world number one last won a tournament in 1995 and last finished in the top 100 on Europe's Order of Merit the following season. He has not made a cut in a major since then either.

Because of an arthritic back and his dramatic loss of form he took two years off before returning at the Madrid Open last October. He finished next-to-last and then abandoned plans to return to the tour this year.