Seve Trophy: A frown furrowed the brow of Severiano Ballesteros; he was clearly puzzled and did not understand the question, writes David Davies in Valencia.

He had been asked how he regarded himself these days. Was this man who has played just six events on the European Tour this year out of 44, making just one cut, retired, semi-retired or partially retired? "Retired?" he said, "me? What do you mean? I am a player."

Talk about raging against the dying of the light. Ballesteros, once the bravest and the best, now struggles to break 80; people wince when they see him play and wonder why he bothers.

But at the launch yesterday of the third edition of the Seve Trophy, a Ryder Cup-style match between Continental Europe, captained by Ballesteros, and Britain and Ireland, led by Colin Montgomerie, the Spaniard not only chose himself for the opening fourballs, he put himself out in the top match.

He will partner Jose Maria Olazabal and a pairing that has made history in the Ryder Cup will be revived.

Won 11, halved two, lost two are the mere figures but the drama and emotion that accompanied their matches have helped make the modern Ryder Cup the event it is.

To be fair to Ballesteros, the tournament that bears his name has played its part in sustaining for him the illusion that he can still cut it with the best.

In the two previous Seve Trophies he has won a fourball match with Olazabal and has beaten Montgomerie twice in the singles, to the astonishment of all.

Last year he managed this despite taking a 78 which yesterday left Montgomerie reflecting that: "When someone chips and putts like Ballesteros it is often very difficult to beat them."

They will meet again in Sunday's singles but today at El Saler Ballesteros and Olazabal play Lee Westwood and David Howell, a pairing that would have been Westwood and Darren Clarke had the Ulsterman not qualified for the US Tour Championship in Houston.

Tonight Valencia play Maccabi Haifa in a UEFA Cup match at 10.0 p.m. Montgomerie plans to attend and take as many of his team as want to accompany him.

"I hope there is extra-time," said Ballesteros. "I know," said Montgomerie, "but your team will all be in bed and worrying, not sleeping."

Padraig Harrington partners Phillip Price against Thomas Bjorn and Sergio Garcia in this morning's fourballs.