José Mari Olazábal attended last weekend at La Sella Golf Resort to the Lacoste Promises Final, an initiative aimed at the youngest players to which he has remained faithful during its twelve editions. The double Augusta Masters champion, who has 35 international titles to his name, seven Ryder Cup appearances and who was the architect as captain of the so-called “miracle of Medinah” in 2012, enjoyed “very pleasant moments in a very familiar atmosphere”, he went out with the 24 Lacoste finalists -12 boys and 12 girls U-16- and had time for everyone, even to chat quietly about the divine and the human.
He was ninth in the last full tournament he played, the Hassan II Trophy in Morocco (29-3-15), and signed his last card -71 strokes- in the second round of the Masters (10-4-15). “In Morocco I placed well, but the first day at Augusta my string came off. After the Masters I felt some stiffness, trained a little the following Monday and went to the Spanish Open with question marks. I couldn’t play. I went back home, started to see doctors, have tests… and here I am, taking anti-inflammatories and corticoids, unable to do anything. If I stand still it doesn’t bother me, but as soon as I try to move my shoulders, groin area, abductors and hamstrings hurt. The same thing happened to me in June 2007 during the US Open: overnight my joints started to hurt and I couldn’t move. There’s no need to think about it, it came when it came. It bothers you, no doubt about it; being at home without being able to move or have a normal life, it’s a bit hard. But just as it happened last time and then I got well, it could also happen this time. They say they are outbreaks, cycles… Now it’s time to be optimistic and wait, it’s a slow process, about five or six months. Sota, caballo y rey, that’s all.
“During these months I’ve watched a lot of TV, all the sports, documentaries and movies, and I’ve done a lot of sudoku, a little bit more and I get first prize in sudoku. I’ve seen what Jordan Spieth, Jason Day and Rory McIlroy have done. The season has been exceptional and has had two parts: Spieth has dominated the first playing at an extraordinary level, it seems incredible that you can play at such a high level. Jason Day, three quarters of the same, has been spectacular, he went off the board. We have witnessed a year to remember. Both have played stratospheric golf. It was a shame about the silly accident that stopped Rory from being in the fight with them.
“It was nice to see Spieth and Day win with the stories behind them. There have been times when we’ve seen players come so strongly out of tough situations and get to the top, and considering the problems Jason had when he was young, it has even more merit. The fundamental element for Jordan to have such a well-furnished head at 21 years of age is his sister’s disability; the harsh reality of life makes you see things in their proper perspective and appreciate how lucky you are.
Changes in the rules of the European Tour: “I don’t think it will change so much to reduce to five the minimum number of tournaments that must be played to be a member of the Tour. It is true that this measure will make life easier for those who are not in the top 50 and cannot access the four Majors or the WGC. As for the possible agreement with the Asian Tour, it is on the table and at the moment there is nothing closed. I think it’s too early to say. We’ll see.
Ryder Cup 2016: “Although there is a long way to go to complete the team, in the backbone we will still have six or seven players like McIlroy, Stenson, Rose, McDowell… There are possible candidates like Andy Sullivan, Danny Willett or Matthew Fitzpatrick, who have taken a step forward but have yet to take another. Darren Clarke (captain of the European team in 2016) has the respect of his teammates; he has been a temperamental player who over the years has learned to control that facet of his character. The Americans are doing things differently, the players’ opinions are now taken into account in decision making and that has contributed to a better team spirit. After the last few defeats, playing the next edition at home is going to put extra pressure. The choice of Davis Love III as captain seems right to me. He was crucified after Chicago and it wasn’t a problem with his captaincy, which he did well; on Sunday, in the crucial moments, Europe came through for us. I don’t see many other candidates either.
Tiger Woods, vice-captain of the U.S. team. “Knowing him, he’ll want to play, head on! Unfortunately, his physical condition is an unknown. He’s had surgery again and hasn’t touched a club lately. It would be good for golf to get him back in the game, it would be good to get more talk about the sport in the media. I would like to see Tiger competing alongside the new generations: McIlroy, Day, Spieth. They would give a lot of play, never better said and much needed. Tiger was the idol of all, of the kids and their parents, the ideal son that every mother wants. Everything went down the drain and he lost his unbeatable halo. It was a difficult situation from which he could not emerge victorious, we all know how American morals are. What impressed me the most was his mental strength in moments of pressure; his game was always very good and his approach and putting were extraordinary, but his mental strength… He was already one point ahead of the others.
“Spanish golf goes through cycles. Winning three or four tournaments every year is not easy, the competition is increasing and the level is higher; the differences between players are now minimal. I have always said that we have Sergio (Garcia) for a few years, he proved it with the triumph in Vietnam. I hope Gonzalo (Fernández-Castaño) and Álvaro (Quirós) make a comeback; I see potential for the others to win, for example, I see Alejandro (Cañizares) and I think that with that game he should win more. We are not so far away from being good. And “Pisha”… he is a case apart, unique and unrepeatable.
“The Lacoste Promesas Final is very special for me, I have a very close relationship with the Basi (distributors of Lacoste in Spain) and Bañó (owners of La Sella) families, who trusted me when I started, and I enjoy a lot with the kids. Every year they play better, the average age drops -this time there were two 13-year-olds and many 14-year-olds- and the level of play and preparation rises. They train more, they are much more professional and you can see their form, but this must be accompanied by discipline, sacrifice and perseverance, everything must be combined to help them reach the top. Everything that is competition at this level is good, it contributes to their development as people while they evolve as players. I really enjoy watching them, I love the way they play and the enthusiasm they put into it, it rejuvenates me. We try to create a relaxed atmosphere and make them feel comfortable; they ask us a lot of questions and ask us if they are doing well or not technically. We started 12 years ago at La Manga Club and we have seen them grow. I was very excited to see Azahara Muñoz again and to share these days with Marta Silva and Juan Sarasti, the first winners, it was very nice to see them as professionals. I remember the edition that Jon Rahm qualified and now he is doing extraordinary things. We always spend very pleasant moments in a very familiar atmosphere, and it is appreciated”.
His facet as course designer: “We are now working on a course in Qatar but the works are going slower than we would like; the first nine holes and the driving range are about to be planted. And it seems that a project we started in Spain years ago is getting back on track. I am very happy with the result of the last nine holes at La Sella: they are enjoyable, wide, not too difficult, the players have a great time and end up delighted. The first holes are more difficult, the trees have grown and they are narrower.
“I am not bothered by the detractors and sambenitos that golf has, everyone must make their own way and time will put everyone in their place. It is about making it more attractive for children; the future of golf is to work at the base, we have to make children feel attracted to this sport. It is fundamental. Golf is doing very good things. Those of us who play golf have a special sensitivity towards disadvantaged people and that is the part that is less seen. At the end of the road, we will be where we deserve to be.
“Life has given me everything. I couldn’t have asked for more. I look back and I see a kid who was having a great time hitting a round ball for fun… How far he’s come! I am very fortunate. Many of the dreams I had have come true, some that seemed unreachable have come true. I’ve met a lot of people and I’ve been lucky enough to rub shoulders with the best in the sport; I’ve learned from everyone, the good ones and the not so good ones. They have all taught me many things that have made me better. I have also learned that, despite the effort and work, not everyone makes it to the top; they deserve all my respect. It has been a long but entertaining journey, there has been everything: good peaks and deep chasms where it seemed to be in the darkest darkness. It has been a life full of emotions”.
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