The world of golf will definitely lose one of its greatest ever competitors within a fortnight, with the news that Jack Nicklaus is to retire from competition "in the next 10 days", but he could soon be followed by Europe's equivalent of the 'Golden Bear' as Seve Ballesteros yesterday said he is on the brink of quitting the game through injury at the age of 47.
"My back is riddled with arthritis and I have no feeling in my neck. I have hardly any mobility," said the Spaniard, who has been out of action with a back injury since last October. "I wouldn't say I am destroyed mentally but I am very low.
"I have to accept that everything has a beginning and an end, although, of course, it would be sad if this is it. I am not confirming this is the end because you always hope for a miracle cure, but what can you do?"
Meanwhile, 64-year-old Nicklaus, the winner of 18 majors is competing in the Senior PGA Championship in Louisville, Kentucky, and intends to play in next week's Memorial Tournament before ceasing to play "touring tournament golf".
Nicklaus revealed he had been thinking of retiring after this year's running of the tournament he created on a course he designed - the Memorial at Muirfield Village. He said the only reason he was playing in the Champions Tour event was to get his game in shape for next week.
"After the Memorial," he said, "I have entered nothing. I'm interested in doing other things; I've had enough of golf. I absolutely die for competitive golf but I'm not competitive any more."
Nicklaus did admit he might be seen competitively again in Britain after the St Andrew's Open planned for 2006 was rescheduled to 2005 to accommodate the expiry of Nicklaus's age exemption, a move Nicklaus described as "a nice gesture".
John Dignam tamed the wind at County Louth yesterday and left fellow pros in his wake after the Irish qualifying round for the Glenmuir Club Professional Championship.
The 37-year-old, of the Slade Valley club near Dublin, came out on top in the 18-hole test by five strokes with a three-under par 69. He and seven other qualifiers from yesterday's round will head for Southport & Ainsdale, in Lancashire, for the 72-hole final in mid-August.
Qualifiers: 69 - J Dignam (Slade Valley) 74 - J Murray (Malahide), S Hamill (Lisburn), G Burke (Curragh) 75 - R Hutton (Downpatrick) 76 - S Kirkpatrick (Ardee), G Loughrey (unattached), E Riblet (Navan).
