Ballesteros is one of Europe's most successful and influential golfers

Golf legend Seve Ballesteros says his recovery from a brain tumour is on the "right track" following a second round of chemotherapy to treat the illness.

The five-time major winner has had four operations to remove a cancerous tumour late last year.

"Despite a slow recovery I am on the right track and my spirit and determination are still unshakeable," the 51-year-old wrote on his website.

"If the weather improves I can leave the house and go back to normal life."

In January, Ballesteros expressed his optimism after receiving the test results from his first course of chemotherapy.

"Fortunately, the results were quite good," he said.

"Besides, the physiotherapists are doing a great job on me as I feel better day after day.

"I am very motivated and working hard, although I am aware that my recovery will be slow and therefore I need to be patient and have a lot of determination.

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"For these reasons I am following strictly all the indications that the doctors are giving me. This Friday I shall begin my second chemotherapy course, which I hope and wish will be as effective as the first one."

Ballesteros said he continues to receive hundreds of messages of support from people and added: "I want to take this opportunity to thank them for their support and energy that is coming to me from all over the world and which is proving so good."

The Spaniard, who won the Open three times and the Masters twice, was admitted to hospital in early October after fainting at Madrid Airport.

Since then he has undergone four separate operations, including a 6�-hour procedure on 24 October to remove the tumour.

He also recorded 50 career victories on the European Tour and is widely recognized as having transformed European golf.

After lobbying to have the Ryder Cup expanded to include continental Europe in 1979, Ballesteros helped beat the United States in 1985 to begin two decades of dominance. He also captained Europe to victory in 1997 at Valderrama, Spain.

Ballesteros retired from competitive playing in 2007 because of back trouble and since then has mainly concentrated on designing courses.

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