One of the most indelible sporting images of my lifetime is that of Seve Ballesteros punching the air with delight after holing the putt to win the British Open on the 18th green at St Andrews in 1984.
I had made my professional debut at the Old Course that week and will always be grateful that I was there to witness Seve's unforgettable celebration after overcoming the challenge of Tom Watson.
Earlier this week, when my favourite golfer received his BBC Lifetime Achievement award from an emotional Jose Maria Olazabal, his Ryder Cup buddy was not the only one who shed a few tears.
Seve, who is recovering from a brain tumour, earned the respect and love of millions worldwide not just because of his achievements, his swashbuckling style of play characterised by remarkable recovery shots from impossible positions, and his genius around the greens.
He is remembered for his passion for golf which often burst out for all to see when he sank a crucial putt or holed a chip from off the green, and for being one of the most charismatic players the game has produced.
Seve came on the scene when golf needed a new hero, and he filled this position so well.
He transformed the European Tour and made it attractive and fashionable for large corporations to pour in sponsorship money.
He challenged American supremacy and rose to become the world's No 1 golfer in an era when Bernhard Langer, Nick Faldo and Ian Woosnam were also inspired to reach the pinnacle of the game, in the process delivering regular success in the majors and the Ryder Cup to Europe.
Seve's achievements in golf, like those of all other players with the exception only of Jack Nicklaus, have been overshadowed by the success of Tiger Woods who has now stepped away from the game in an effort to save his marriage.
Regardless of how long he stays away, Woods will be unmoved in his belief that he can still go on and surpass Nicklaus's haul of 18 victories in the majors and set many other records along the way.
With the timing of his inevitable return unknown, the biggest concerns now being expressed are more about the loss to golf rather than the condition of his wife, who is the biggest victim of her husband's waywardness.
Under growing pressure from the US media to address the scandal that has shocked the game, Tiger has managed to put his value to it at the top of the agenda.
On the face of it, most find it difficult to imagine the PGA Tour without Woods, but while the analysts calculate losses in terms of television audiences and the effect on sponsorship, the Tour goes on.
Traditionally, Woods does not play much golf on the west coast of America during the early part of the season. In each of the past three years he has played in only two of the eight events on the calendar before the Tour makes its way to Florida; and just one more prior to the Arnold Palmer Invitational which is his last tournament before the US Masters at Augusta two weeks later.
If he was to be absent from any of this year's majors he would obviously be missed, although there are enough good golfers around to remind us that, regardless of the Tiger effect on crowds and cash flow, no one player, ultimately, is bigger than the game.
Phil Mickelson was always going to be the player expected to have a big year in 2010 after the way he finished off 2009, winning his last two tournaments, both times when Woods was in the field.
Mickelson has as much ability as his great rival and their games are very similar, both often struggling for consistency off the tee but able to produce stunning iron shots and brilliance around the greens.
From within 50 to 100 yards of the flag, Mickelson is the best player the game has seen while there has never been a golfer to equal Tiger with a putter in his hands.
In his younger days Mickelson was a genius on the greens as well, although in recent years the magic has faded.
He started to rediscover his touch in the summer and began to look like the Mickelson of old, the player most likely to challenge and succeed Woods at the top of the world rankings.
As 17 out of his 37 Tour victories to date have come on the west coast swing, he will be confident of adding to that total next month.
Meanwhile, after a year which has seen so much promise from golf's new generation of stars, Rory McIlroy stands out as the one who may have the real passion for the game that makes a major champion.
It is wonderful to see so many youngsters with incredible talent coming through, but I am not sure that we have yet seen one with the flare and passion that the young Seve had in abundance when he arrived on the European Tour in the 1970s.
There is such a small margin between the golfer ranked at No 100 in the world and players in the current top 10.
As Seve demonstrated, there is so much more to golf than a good swing - in his case a beautiful one. Confidence, good decision making and clarity of thought make the biggest difference at the top level. And you need charisma to be a hero.
Former European and US Tour player Philip Parkin is a member of the TV golf commentary team for the BBC in the UK and Golf Channel in the US.
sports@thenational.ae
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
UAE v Gibraltar
What: International friendly
When: 7pm kick off
Where: Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City
Admission: Free
Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page
UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), Esekaia Dranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), Jaen Botes (Exiles), Kristian Stinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), Emosi Vacanau (Harlequins), Niko Volavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), Thinus Steyn (Exiles)
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 194hp at 5,600rpm
Torque: 275Nm from 2,000-4,000rpm
Transmission: 6-speed auto
Price: from Dh155,000
On sale: now
'Spies in Disguise'
Director: Nick Bruno and Troy Quane
Stars: Will Smith, Tom Holland, Karen Gillan and Roshida Jones
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
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How%20I%20connect%20with%20my%20kids%20when%20working%20or%20travelling
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Padmaavat
Director: Sanjay Leela Bhansali
Starring: Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone, Shahid Kapoor, Jim Sarbh
3.5/5
Book%20Details
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Tips%20for%20holiday%20homeowners
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Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
Europe’s rearming plan
- Suspend strict budget rules to allow member countries to step up defence spending
- Create new "instrument" providing €150 billion of loans to member countries for defence investment
- Use the existing EU budget to direct more funds towards defence-related investment
- Engage the bloc's European Investment Bank to drop limits on lending to defence firms
- Create a savings and investments union to help companies access capital
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates, Etihad and Swiss fly direct from the UAE to Zurich from Dh2,855 return, including taxes.
The chalet
Chalet N is currently open in winter only, between now and April 21. During the ski season, starting on December 11, a week’s rental costs from €210,000 (Dh898,431) per week for the whole property, which has 22 beds in total, across six suites, three double rooms and a children’s suite. The price includes all scheduled meals, a week’s ski pass, Wi-Fi, parking, transfers between Munich, Innsbruck or Zurich airports and one 50-minute massage per person. Private ski lessons cost from €360 (Dh1,541) per day. Halal food is available on request.
'Cheb%20Khaled'
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NEW%20PRICING%20SCHEME%20FOR%20APPLE%20MUSIC%2C%20TV%2B%20AND%20ONE
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Seven%20Winters%20in%20Tehran
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Four-day collections of TOH
Day Indian Rs (Dh)
Thursday 500.75 million (25.23m)
Friday 280.25m (14.12m)
Saturday 220.75m (11.21m)
Sunday 170.25m (8.58m)
Total 1.19bn (59.15m)
(Figures in millions, approximate)
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Spec%20sheet
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, Leon.
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
CREW
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ERajesh%20A%20Krishnan%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ETabu%2C%20Kareena%20Kapoor%20Khan%2C%20Kriti%20Sanon%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%203.5%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
THE BIO
Family: I have three siblings, one older brother (age 25) and two younger sisters, 20 and 13
Favourite book: Asking for my favourite book has to be one of the hardest questions. However a current favourite would be Sidewalk by Mitchell Duneier
Favourite place to travel to: Any walkable city. I also love nature and wildlife
What do you love eating or cooking: I’m constantly in the kitchen. Ever since I changed the way I eat I enjoy choosing and creating what goes into my body. However, nothing can top home cooked food from my parents.
Favorite place to go in the UAE: A quiet beach.
What drives subscription retailing?
Once the domain of newspaper home deliveries, subscription model retailing has combined with e-commerce to permeate myriad products and services.
The concept has grown tremendously around the world and is forecast to thrive further, according to UnivDatos Market Insights’ report on recent and predicted trends in the sector.
The global subscription e-commerce market was valued at $13.2 billion (Dh48.5bn) in 2018. It is forecast to touch $478.2bn in 2025, and include the entertainment, fitness, food, cosmetics, baby care and fashion sectors.
The report says subscription-based services currently constitute “a small trend within e-commerce”. The US hosts almost 70 per cent of recurring plan firms, including leaders Dollar Shave Club, Hello Fresh and Netflix. Walmart and Sephora are among longer established retailers entering the space.
UnivDatos cites younger and affluent urbanites as prime subscription targets, with women currently the largest share of end-users.
That’s expected to remain unchanged until 2025, when women will represent a $246.6bn market share, owing to increasing numbers of start-ups targeting women.
Personal care and beauty occupy the largest chunk of the worldwide subscription e-commerce market, with changing lifestyles, work schedules, customisation and convenience among the chief future drivers.
