Spanish authorities have opened an investigation after a bronze statue honouring golf legend Seve Ballesteros disappeared from his birthplace of Pedrena in the Cantabria region over the weekend.
The Marina de Cudeyo Town Council announced the incident on Sunday via social media, describing it as "an unfortunate event" and stating that "everything indicates that it was a theft."
The life-sized tribute, which had served as a centrepiece in the small village near Santander for nearly a decade, vanished at some point during the weekend, according to local police who spoke to Reuters.
Officers are now attempting to track down those responsible and retrieve the stolen monument.
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The sculpture was the work of artist Salvador García Ceballos, who completed it in 2009, though it was not given a permanent home in La Barquería Park until 2017.
Cast in bronze, the statue captured one of the most memorable moments in British golf history – Ballesteros with his fist thrust skyward in celebration.
This triumphant gesture became synonymous with his dramatic 1984 Open Championship victory at St Andrews, where the Spaniard overcame a deficit against Tom Watson in the final round to claim the Claret Jug by two strokes.
That win denied Watson what would have been a third consecutive Open title.
Spanish authorities have opened an investigation after a bronze statue honouring golf legend Seve Ballesteros disappeared
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The town council has issued a public plea for assistance in solving the case.
In a Facebook post, the council urged: "If anyone has observed any suspicious activity, especially in the last 24 hours, please report it to the police."
Both the Civil Guard and local police forces have begun their inquiries into the disappearance, with investigators working to piece together what happened and identify potential suspects.
The council also posted an image of the missing statue on Instagram as part of their appeal for information.
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His major haul included three Open Championship triumphs in 1979, 1984 and 1988, alongside Masters victories in 1980 and 1983
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Authorities are particularly keen to hear from anyone who may have witnessed unusual activity in or around La Barquería Park during the weekend.
Ballesteros remains one of the sport's most celebrated figures, having claimed five major championships during a glittering career that spanned from 1979 to 1988.
His major haul included three Open Championship triumphs in 1979, 1984 and 1988, alongside Masters victories in 1980 and 1983.
The Spaniard also proved a formidable force in team competition, accumulating 22.5 points across 37 Ryder Cup matches.
Ballesteros was diagnosed with a brain tumour in 2008 and passed away in Pedrena in May 2011
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His achievements place him fifth on Europe's all-time points list.
He helped the continent win four tournaments as both player and captain.
He spent 61 weeks ranked world number one and was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1999.
Ballesteros was diagnosed with a brain tumour in 2008 and passed away in Pedrena in May 2011, aged 54.
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