Spanish golf legend Severiano Ballesteros gives a press conference to present the Volvo World Match Play Championship in Madrid. The event will take place from October 29 to November 1, 2009 in Finca Cortesin. (JAVIER SORIANO/AFP)

MADRID, October 14, 2009 (AFP) - Spanish golf legend Severiano Ballesteros, who is recovering from surgery to remove a brain tumor, Wednesday compared his condition to hitting out from among the trees.

The 52-year-old was in Madrid for the presentation of the next edition of the Volvo world match play tournament, to be held in Casares in southern Spain from October 29 to November 1.

Ballesteros' cancer foundation reached an agreement with the tournament organisers under which funds will be collected during the event for the charity.

The Spaniard said he was "delighted to be here today for a presentation as important as that of the match play. It's a very special tournament. I have won it five times."

"I am very proud of this association," he said, wearing the cap of the Severiano Ballesteros Foundation.

Ballesteros was diagnosed with a brain tumour after losing consciousness at Madrid airport on October 5, 2008.

Since then he has undergone four operations to remove the tumour and reduce swelling in his skull, as well as several rounds of chemotherapy.

He said he felt "quite well" some 10 months after the last operation.

"It was like when I had to get out of the trees during tournaments," he said of his condition. "It was harder than that, but it was a bit like that."

Regarded as one of golf's all-time greats, Ballesteros won the British Open in 1979, 1984 and 1988 and became the first European to win the Augusta Masters in 1980, an achievement he repeated in 1983.

He was also an influential figure in the Ryder Cup, winning 20 points from 37 matches and captaining Europe to victory over the United States at Valderrama in 1997.

The next edition of the Volvo world matchplay tournament is to be held outside of Wentworth, England for the first time since 1964.

Three of the world's top 10 golfers are taking part: England's Paul Casey, Sweden's Henrik Stenson, and Sergio Garcia of Spain.