Ballesteros Junior aiming to have some fun at the 2015 Omega Dubai Desert Classic
Javier Ballesteros will take an everything-to-gain attitude when he competes in the Omega Dubai Desert Classic at Emirates Golf Club this week.
The pressure to emulate the deeds of his legendary father, Seve, may be huge, but Ballesteros junior is determined to carve his own niche with what he calls “a natural style of play.”
“When I play a tournament, I usually don’t have expectations. The thinking is to practice hard and play as well as you can and let things happens,” said Javier who will be playing his first main tour event since turning professional in November last year.
“With the likes of Rory McIlroy, Henrik Stenson and Ernie Els among other world-class players in the field, it’s going to be fun and that’s what I will try to have. When you have fun on the course, things usually go well,” said the 24-year-old.
“I have played in a couple of tournaments as a professional in Spain, but this will be the first time I will be competing in a European Tour event. Really looking forward to the challenge,” said the rising star.
“The experience of playing in this tournament will be a great learning curve, something which will stand me in good stead for the future,” said Javier whose father changed the face of European golfwith his dashing and imaginative style of play.
“My surname doesn’t really put any pressure on my golf. What my dad did was just fantastic, winning five Majors and close to 100 tournaments. I just try to be myself and play golf. Missing a few drives here and there is normal, nothing really very strange.
“My father encouraged me to play golf and he was my first teacher, but he always told me that studies come first,” said Javier, who made his debut on the Challenge Tour in April in 2013.
“His ways of teaching were pretty simple. He would often say be natural if you aim to succeed. With every day that passes I enjoy golf more, but I do not plan challenges or set goals. The whole idea is to enjoy it, and have fun,” said Javier, who was invited by golf in DUBAi to represent his father in the 25th edition of the tournament last year.
“I am really grateful to golf in DUBAi for honouring the memory of my father last year. They have invited me again which is great,” said Javier, who was just two years old when his father won the 1992 Omega Dubai Desert Classic.
“I was too young to remember anything when my father won in Dubai, but I do know he liked being here and playing in the tournament which he held in high regard because of its excellent organisation and a particularly pleasant and relaxed atmosphere.”
The Omega Dubai Desert Classic is backed by OMEGA as the title sponsor and Emirates Global Aluminium PJSC as sponsor. The co-sponsors are: CNN, Drydocks World & Maritime World, Emirates NBD, Gulf News, Jebel Ali Resorts and Hotels, Mercedes and wasl, while Dubai Duty Free, Neocasa Interiors and Motivate Publishing are the Patrons in golf in DUBAi’s drive to showcase the emirate’s vibrant golfing scene to a worldwide audience.
