Olazabal chasing Ryder return
Jose Maria Olazabal hopes to take another step this week towards a Ryder Cup return at the age of 40 – seven years after he was a central figure in the event’s greatest controversy.
When Justin Leonard sank his 45-foot birdie putt on Brookline’s 17th green, the American camp celebrated as if he they had won the cup. It was not theirs yet, but when the commotion died down Olazabal missed and the Americans were able to rejoice with full justification.
That might have been the end of a Ryder Cup career remembered best for Olazabal’s partnership with Seve Ballesteros.
But Olazabal started the Mallorca Classic today fifth on the qualifying table for next year’s match at the K Club near Dublin, and the only players in the top 10 who are also in the field are defending champion Sergio Garcia, Dane Anders Hansen and England’s Nick Dougherty.
Prize money has gone up 50% on last year’s event – Garcia won by four – and with a winner’s cheque of over €250,000 Olazabal can make the trip well worth his while.
“Every week is important for the Ryder Cup, we all know that,” said the double Masters champion.
Olazabal decided to play the last three weeks of the European Tour season rather than stay on in America, where he could have qualified for their Tour Championship.
One of the reasons he is present this week is that he is in the process of redesigning the Pula Golf Club.
At 6,676 yards and a par 70 it is one of the shortest on the entire circuit. “There is no room for a lot of lengthening, but what we have to try to do is get a course that matches the money we are playing for,” he added.
Garcia has finished first and third on his last two European Tour starts and is an overwhelming favourite. If he justifies that status it will be the first time in his career the 25-year-old has made a successful defence of a title.
“It’s not easy to play at the top level in the same tournament two years in a row, but I hope I can do well. I am hitting the ball well,” he said.
Scotland’s David Drysdale, meanwhile, received some encouraging news going into a tournament which will decide his European Tour future.
Before hitting a ball, Drysdale has moved up from 116th to 115th on the order of merit – and it could save him from a return to the qualifying school next month.
The move comes because Australian Mark Hensby, 43rd on the money list, has pulled out of next week’s Volvo Masters. Since he will not now play the 11 events required for European Tour membership, his name has been removed from the order of merit and everybody below him goes up one place.
On Sunday night the top 116 retain cards for next season. Drysdale is only €642 ahead of Frenchman Gregory Bourdy, but even if he fails to make the halfway cut two players now have to go past him rather than just one.
Another beneficiary could be Londoner Brian Davis. He is in America this week, but has improved from 60th to 59th in the money list because of Hensby, and if he stays in the top 60 he will qualify for next week’s Volvo Masters at Valderrama.
