Ramon Sota, an uncle of golfing great Seve Ballesteros and a successful tournament player in the 1960's and 70's, has died at the age of 74, the Spanish golf federation said.
Sota was a key figure in the growth of the game in Spain and a major inspiration for his nephew Seve, who passed away in May last year after battling a brain tumour.
Born on April 23, 1938, in Pedreña, Sota was one of the first Spanish professionals to tour the world along with the Miguel brothers, Miguel and Ángel.
After working as a caddie at Real Golf de Pedreña, he turned professional in 1956 and went on to win the Spanish Professional Championship four times.
He also won the a number of national Opens around the world including the Open de France in 1965 with a closing round 62, the Dutch Open in 1966 and 1971, the Open de Portugal in 1963, 1969 and 1970, the Italian Open in 1971 and his own national Open in 1963.
He also recorded several victories further afield, claiming the Brazil Open in 1965.
In 2001 he achieved his dream, along with his two sons Gabriel and José Antonio, of building a nine-hole par three course, driving range and a golf academy in the village of Agüero, near Pedreña.
He finished seventh at the British Open in 1963 and eighth in 1971 and was sixth at the U.S. Masters in 1965, the best result by a European up to that date.
"The members of the Royal Spanish Golf Federation would like to express their deepest condolences to family and friends," the federation said in a statement on their website.
Sota, whose sister Carmen Sota was the mother of Seve Ballesteros, Spain’s most successful golfer, died of pneumonia. His funeral will take place in Pedreña at 5pm on Thursday, August 30.
#RIP
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