GOLF:BLACK RIBBONS were attached to the flagsticks for yesterday's pro-am on the eve of the European Tour's Iberdrola Open at Pula Golf Club in Mallorca.

There was also a memorial service for Seve Ballesteros at the chapel beside the course where Jose Maria Olazabal and Colin Montgomerie will tee off this afternoon after flying to the event from the funeral for Europe’s greatest ever golfer.

With most of the Tour’s stars away in Florida for the Players Championship and both Lee Westwood and Rory McIlroy taking the week off, South African Thomas Aiken might never have a better chance to record back-to-back victories.

The South African captured the Spanish Open on Sunday and instantly dedicated the victory to Ballesteros, a man he said “did so much for the game and he will always be remembered”.

Frenchman Gregory Bourdy is the only other member of the world’s top 100 taking part, while Montgomerie will believe this is a great opportunity for him to record his first top-10 finish for almost three years.

Bourdy will have positive feelings about the course, the scene of his maiden European Tour title in 2007. Indeed most of his success has come on short, tight courses such as Pula, where straight hitting from tee to green is rewarded.

Olazabal is the course designer and his last victory came at the venue six years ago.

There are seven Irish players competing in Mallorca, with Gary Murphy getting a rare outing on the main tour thanks to a sponsor’s invite.

Murphy is joined by Shane Lowry, Darren Clarke, Damien McGrane, Paul McGinley, Simon Thornton and Colm Moriarty.

Paul Lawrie and Nick Dougherty are also in the field. Dougherty will be trying to make his first cut in 10 events this season.

The Liverpudlian pulled out of the Spanish Open and instead flew to Florida to seek help from his father after a miserable run which has seen him tumble outside the world’s top 500.

Lawrie, in contrast, has returned to winning ways this year after a gap of nine years. That came at the Andalucian Open in March and on his next start he was fifth in Barcelona at the weekend.

Elsewhere, Niall Kearney – who has made the cut in each of his last three outings on the Challenge Tour – is competing in the Tuscany Open.