Ballesteros 'stable' after second operation on brain

Seve Ballesteros underwent further surgery at a Madrid hospital yesterday when his condition deteriorated following an operation to remove a brain tumour. Last night the Spaniard remained in intensive care and his condition was described as "stable".

The five-times major champion was recovering from the seven-hour surgery he had on Tuesday when doctors reportedly decided to operate again and take away a portion of his skull. The procedure, which is apparently not unusual after an operation such as this, was needed to reduce pressure on Ballesteros' brain.

A statement from the La Paz hospital read: "The patient is stable and remains under observation, having undergone a decompressive craniectomy after suffering from a decrease in the level of consciousness due to a cerebral oedema."

Ballesteros was taken to the hospital on 6 October after he collapsed and briefly lost consciousness at Madrid airport. The 51-year-old announced last Sunday that he had been diagnosed with a brain tumour.

Ballesteros won the Open in 1979, 1984 and 1988 and became the first European to win the US Masters in 1980, a title he claimed again in 1983. He retired last year after many years of suffering with a bad back.

Robert Karlsson remained in control of Europe's order of merit race when the Swede shot a three-under-par 69 in the Portugal Masters first round yesterday. While the world No 8 is three behind the early leaders Mark Foster of Britain and Spain's Alvaro Quiros, his money-list rival Lee Westwood slipped to a 72 after a good start.

Spain's Miguel Angel Jimenez, also in with an outside chance of winning the order of merit, could only produce a 73. Karlsson, aiming for a third successive tournament win, had to rally after a poor opening. With Padraig Harrington, second on the money-list, absent this week, Karlsson can go close to clinching the order of merit.