Olly cautions against great expectations

Jose Maria Olazabal has warned against expecting too much too soon of some of Europe’s rising stars.

Twice Masters champion Olazabal was told by Seve Ballesteros the first time he played Augusta National – 20 years ago – that no course in the world is as hard to learn.

And because of that factor the 39-year-old thinks debutants Luke Donald and Graeme McDowell and second-timers Paul Casey and Ian Poulter may need longer to get to grips with the tricky course.

But Olazabal also considers that Sergio Garcia, Padraig Harrington, Lee Westwood and Darren Clarke have the game and the experience to end Europe’s six-year drought in the majors.

“Those to me are the best for this year,” he said.

“Padraig had his first US tour win a few weeks ago, Lee’s playing well again and if Darren has a good week on the greens he can be right in there. The same goes for Sergio. His putting has been letting him down lately, but he’s clearly long enough and he does have a great short game when he’s on.”

Olazabal might also have given Colin Montgomerie a chance, but the Scot is an absentee this week for the first time in 1991. Just outside the world’s top 50 he waited in vain for a special invitation.

Donald was joint runner-up in the Players Championship on Monday last week, with McDowell joint second in the Bay Hill Invitational which preceded it. But the last debutant to win – and the only one since 1935 – was Fuzzy Zoeller in 1979.

Casey and Poulter played for the first time last year and because of how they faired cannot wait for tomorrow.

Casey was lying third with a round to play and finished sixth, while Poulter was 31st, let down only by his putting.

“Luke’s playing with a lot of confidence at the moment and there’s no question that Casey can win at some stage,” commented Olazabal.

“As for Poulter, to me he’s a streaky player – and when he’s hot he can do anything. But I think they all have to play in the Masters more and we need to give them more time.

“Seve told me not to worry if you don’t play well at first because Augusta isn’t like any other course. Of course you don’t think like that when you’re there at first, but as years go you realise it.”

Winner of the British Amateur in 1984 – he beat Colin Montgomerie in the final at Formby – Olazabal made his debut the following April and had rounds of 81 and 76.

Runner-up to Ballesteros on the European Order of Merit the next year, he earned a speedy return but missed the cut again.

When he finished eighth on his third visit in 1989, however, he began to get the hang of the place.

Two years later he was runner-up to Ian Woosnam having taken a quadruple bogey seven on the 180-yard sixth during the week, and in 1994 Olazabal made it an incredible nine European wins in 15 years when he succeeded Bernhard Langer.

The sense of achievement he felt then had nothing on his second victory in 1999, though.

It came three years after he missed the event during an 18-month lay-off following a diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis in both his feet.

In a wheelchair for part of that time, Olazabal feared he might not walk again let alone play at Augusta once more, but eventually a problem in his back was found by Munich specialist Hans-Wilhelm Muller-Wohlfahrt and he has made a full recovery.

“He gave me the all-clear after two and a half years and I’ve not needed to go back to him since,” said Olazabal. “It’s a remarkable story, I know.”

As for his own chances, Olazabal is heartened by the fact that he was joint second at halfway last year – Justin Rose led, but has not qualified this time - before dropping back to 30th with rounds of 79 and 75.

He must also try to forget the two short putts he missed at the BellSouth Classic on Monday, both of which would have given him victory. Phil Mickelson won instead at the fourth hole of a five-man play-off.

Olazabal again has to try to overcome the fact that he is disadvantaged by the changes made to the course a few years ago.

“I’ve always said that the longer you make a course the more you favour the long-hitters,” he added.

“Other than when Mike Weir won two years ago it’s been only big hitters (Singh, Woods and Mickelson) who have come out on top. But no matter what they do to the course I’ll still get excited about the week. It’s a special place.

“When I set foot there I feel at peace with myself. And as a former winner I know at the end of the week that I’ll be coming back.”

Clarke and Westwood cannot avoid being in the spotlight tomorrow and Friday. The former is paired in the first two rounds with Tiger Woods, the latter with Vijay Singh.