Seve Ballesteros was released from the intensive care of a Madrid, Spain, hospital Tuesday following brain surgery on a malignant tumor.

The 51-year-old Spaniard will remain in the hospital to continue rehabilitation. La Paz hospital said there was no timetable for his release. Restricted visits are being allowed for the first time.

Ballesteros, a two-time Masters Tournament champion, underwent a 61/2-hour operation Oct. 24 to remove the tumor and reduce swelling around the brain. He was admitted Oct. 6 after fainting at Madrid's international airport.

YEAR-END AWARDS: Winning the final PGA Tour event of the year could lead to Davis Love III winning his first award on a vote of the players.

The Players Advisory Council and four player-directors on the PGA Tour policy board have nominated Love, Rocco Mediate and Dudley Hart as candidates for comeback player of the year.

Limited by back injuries, Mediate lost a playoff to Tiger Woods in the U.S. Open and had another top 10 at the Memorial to finish 74th on the money list, his best year since 2003.

Hart missed most of 2007 during his wife's illness tending to his triplets, played this year on a family crisis extension and made it to the Tour Championship. He had six top-10s.

Love won at Disney for his 20th career victory. He was recovering from ankle surgery that kept him out of golf for four months.

A more compelling vote might be for rookie of the year.

The five candidates are Dustin Johnson , Chez Reavie , Andres Romero , Kevin Streelman and Marc Turnesa . All but Streelman won a PGA Tour event.

No rookie had a better season than Romero, who made the cut in all four majors (with top 10s in two of them, including The Masters) and finished 36th on the money list.

DRIVE FOR SHOW: In another example that most players will take a good week of putting over hitting it prodigious lengths, PGA Tour information whiz Dave Lancer came up with the following statistic.

He compiled winners on the PGA Tour, Champions Tour and Nationwide Tour and found that they led the field in putting 16 times. The winner led the field in driving distance only twice.

STAT OF THE WEEK: The Masters, played at Augusta National Golf Club, was the only major not to finish in the top 10 toughest courses on the PGA Tour this year.