José María Olazábal made a modest start to his new career on the US Champions Tour for seniors. Competing in the Allianz Championship in Boca Raton (Florida), the two-time US Masters champion carded 71-67-72 for a six-under total and a share of 41st place.
Competing in the same tournament (won by Scott McCarron), Miguel Ángel Jiménez finished 23rd, four shots ahead of his Spanish compatriot. Jiménez is already a three-time winner on the tour, and in 2016 finished fourth in the end-of-season Schwab Cup standings, with $1,613,820 in prizemoney.
In addition to his two Masters titles (1984 and 1989), Olazábal won four other events on the main US PGA Tour – 1990 and 1994 NEC World Series of Golf, 1991 The International and 2002 Buick Invitational – as well as winning 21 times on the European Tour and twice in Japan.
Speaking on the eve of the Allianz, Champions Tour president Greg McLaughlin said, “We have been anticipating Josá María’s debut, and are thrilled to welcome him to PGA Tour Champions. He is a true gentleman and one of the game’s all-time greats.”
Olazábal now moves on to Naples (Florida) for the next event, the Chubb Classic. Even though he turned 50 in February last year, he is still to make his European Senior Tour debut.
