Two-time Masters Tournament winner Seve Ballesteros (Stats | Bio) will end his streak of 27 straight appearances at Augusta National Golf Club.

Ballesteros made the decision in March not to compete.

"He has suffered from back pain for a long time," Ivan Ballesteros, his nephew, told the Associated Press. "But it was during his build-up to the Masters at the Doral golf resort in Miami that the pain grew unbearable. He has now flown back to Spain."

Ballesteros won the 1980 Masters to become at the time the youngest winner in tournament history. He also won in 1983.

Ballesteros is not the only major champion to drop out of this year's tournament.

Jim Furyk (Stats | Bio) , the reigning U.S. Open winner, informed tournament officials in March that he would skip the Masters this year because of surgery on his ailing left wrist.

David Duval (Stats | Bio) , the 2001 British Open winner, withdrew March 30. The former Georgia Tech golfer, who has suffered a number of injuries the last two seasons, cited the need to work on his game and spend more time with his family.