DISA-STEROS!

Seve Ballesteros has been a world-beater for most of his life - but even he cannot beat Old Father Time.

The spirit is still willing, but the flesh is weak as Seve struggles against the legacy of more than 20 years of uninhibited hitting and swashbuckling strokeplay that made him the most charismatic figure in the game.

The back that has borne the brunt of Europe's Ryder Cup success over the last 12 years is now so weak that at the age of 40 Seve can barely swing a club without grimacing in pain.

After pulling out of the Volvo PGA Championship at Wentworth last weekend because of a muscle spasm, he was contemplating an operation.

A week later, having failed to make the halfway cut for the eighth time in 10 European tournaments this season, he is unsure where and when - or even if - he will play tournament golf again.

Seve has cancelled plans to compete in this week's pounds 650,000 Compaq European Grand Prix at Slaley Hall after his latest flop in Hamburg, and there has been no invitation for Europe's Ryder Cup captain to play in the US Open.

Many - his predecessor Bernard Gallacher included - believe that he should abandon plans to be Europe's playing captain at Valderrama in September...for the good of the team.

"If Seve was the player he was in 1987 then he could do both jobs at once," said the Scot. "But he isn't, and he is going to have to realise that.

"He has to get his back right, and decide whether he wants to do that by having an operation. After that he can decide how long he wants to go on playing.

After handing in rounds of 77 and 79 at the Deutsche Bank Open in Germany, Seve looked as though he never wanted to see another golf club. "I haven't been able to play properly this year," he said. "The rhythm isn't there and everything has gone against me."

But one of Seve's likely top men at Valderrama believes he should play if he can regain peak form and fitness.

German star Bernhard Langer said: " It will be hard for Seve to do both jobs because there is such an awful lot of pressure, but if he is fit and playing well then it is a different matter.

"I would prefer that he plays - Seve is one of the greatest match players the world has ever seen."

Gallacher added: "Seve doesn't want to give up his Ryder Cup dream yet because he thinks it will be the end of his career.

"Even now he is so unpredictable that he could win the Open at Troon next month - and that would make it hard for him not to pick himself for the match against the USA.

"But he should be behind the scenes keeping the team calm in the heat of the struggle, because the psychological side is so important in the Ryder Cup."

This year Seve has only twice broken 70 in 23 tournament rounds. Only twice has he managed to complete 72 holes, and he has slipped to 34th in the Ryder Cup qualifying table from which the leading 10 at the end of August will be automatic choices.

Meanwhile, Seve's Euro pals will be fighting for position at Slaley in this week's big Compaq event. Colin Montgomerie will lead the charge after confirming his entry last week.

Other leading players in the line-up include Sam Torrance, Darren Clarke, Per-Ulrik Johansson, Mark James and Stuart Cage.

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