Keighley-born caddy Billy Foster attended Seve Ballesteros’ funeral yesterday, admitting: “I owe him everything.”

The 45-year-old made the trip to his former employer’s home village of Pedrena in Spain to pay his respects along with some of the game’s biggest stars.

Foster was on the verge of giving up his bag-carrying role when the Spanish golfing legend took him on in 1990.

Instead of taking up the assistant-professional position he had been offered at Ilkley, the Bingley St Ives member began a five-year stint caddying for the sport’s most charismatic player.

The former Holy Family School pupil has since gone on to work for other illustrious names and is now on the bag for world number one Lee Westwood.

And he said so much of his development as a caddy was down to his spell with Ballesteros, who died aged 54 last weekend following a three-year battle against a brain tumour.

Foster said: “I owe him everything. I have a nice house and a nice life because of Seve Ballesteros.

“I was very fortunate to work for one of the game’s biggest superstars and that has carried me on to other things. I learned so much with him – about course management, desire, passion.

“Caddying for Seve opened the door for me to work with other top players such as Darren Clarke, Thomas Bjorn, Sergio Garcia and now Lee Westwood.”

Foster, who had been caddying for the Scot Gordon Brand Junior before he was approached by the five-time major winner, said his partnership on the course with Ballesteros was full of highs and lows.

He said: “He was like a big brother to me. There were so many good times but it was like a rollercoaster.

“He would be brilliant for months and then would play like a ten-handicapper. There were so many ups and downs and so many great memories.

“We were sometimes at loggerheads with each other but that’s what made our relationship special.

“I was a bit like a Jack Russell and he was not used to people standing up to him – but there was a mutual admiration between us.

“The word legend is overused but Seve was a pure god of the sport.”

Famed for his daring play, Ballesteros produced one effort in the European Masters at Crans-sur-Sierre in 1993 which remains the best shot Foster has ever seen.

His ball lay behind a swimming pool wall but, against all odds, the Spaniard hit a pitching wedge over it and between overhanging branches to the fringe of the green where he chipped in for a birdie.

Eldwick-based Foster said: “(Phil) Mickelson’s shot to the 13th in the Masters last year came close but that remains the best I’ve seen.

“I still can’t explain it. I was pleading with him to chip out sideways. I knew he was a magical player but he wasn’t Paul Daniels! He just said ‘I can do it, Billy’.”

An inspiration to so many of today’s top stars, Ballesteros flew the flag for European golf, helping the tour become the prestigious one it is today.

Nowhere was the Spaniard more passionate than in the Ryder Cup and Foster, who caddied for him in the competition at Kiawah Island and the Belfry, said: “It meant everything to him – life and death.

“The desire and passion which he showed; he was the ultimate warrior. Seve made European golf and was the pioneer of the European Tour.”

One of the main highlights of Foster’s spell with Ballesteros was in 1991 when the Spaniard won the PGA Championship, the British Masters and the World Matchplay on his way to winning the European Order of Merit.

It was a year that seemed to sum the legend up, as Foster explained: “He still missed four or five cuts that year and couldn’t break 80. There were so many highs and lows.”

Jose-Maria Olazabal, Sam Torrance, Nick Faldo and Colin Montgomerie were among those who attended yesterday’s funeral.

Foster said: “It’s very sad to lose such a great man and a great friend but he has suffered so much in recent years and his death can almost be seen as a blessing.”