Seve Ballesteros has spoken about his battle with a brain tumour for the first time since he was diagnosed with the illness last October.

The five-time Major winner has described his battle against cancer as his “sixth Major,” whilst saying he was lucky to be getting a “Mulligan in life.”

Talking about the diagnosis he added: “I was shocked. You are fine and suddenly they tell you that, can you imagine? It is dreadful. They were very clear with me. They told me, ‘This is a tumour, it is lucky it is in a place on the right side of the brain.’”

Since his diagnosis, Seve has been in and out of hospital having had three operations, and this week the brave Spaniard started his fourth course of chemotherapy.

As part of his rehabilitation he has been following a strict training regime, which has seen him drop to a weight of 75kgs, the same weight as when he won the US Masters in 1980.

On his rehabilitation, he admitted he is not always the best patient: “Some days the physiotherapist comes along and other days I have cognitive therapy. Sometimes I have been rebellious. It has happened a couple of times.”

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