The return of Seve Ballesteros

Next April there will be a rare treat in store for every European golf fan as Seve Ballesteros returns to the splendour of Augusta following a break of four years.

Opinion is divided on whether former champions, well past their best, deserve a spot in the Majors.

Those in the against camp will point to Billy Casper hacking it round in 106 in 2005 as reason enough not to extend an invite - the American veteran avoided a place in the record books by keeping his card firmly in his pocket.

Others relish the opportunity to see the legends of the past battling manfully to hole one more putt or, even, make one last cut.

With Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus no longer in the field, Ballesteros, one of the few real greats on show, will be an even more welcome addition.

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Darren Clarke - The people's champion?

Golf will boast its third winner of the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award on Sunday 10 December and Darren Clarke will be a most worthy recipient.

In 1957 Dai Rees played, and skippered, the Great Britain side to a famous victory over their American counterparts, the only win by the perennial underdogs between 1933 and 1985, while Nick Faldo followed in the Welshman's footsteps in 1989 following his first Masters success.

Now Clarke will make it three and few could argue that there has been a more deserving winner.

On August 13 of this year Clarke's wife, Heather, finally lost her battle to breast cancer after a long and courageous fight.

Less than six weeks later Clarke was able to somehow gather himself to crunch an enormous drive down the opening fairway on the first morning of the Ryder Cup before capitalising with a birdie.

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