Olazabal the big shot

Jose Maria Olazabal has won the European tour’s RBS shot of the month for April for his stunning five-wood approach to the 15th green in the final round of the Masters.

The two-time Augusta champion struck his approach from 246 yards to within 18 inches of the flag for a tap-in eagle three which propelled him within touching distance of a third green jacket before Phil Mickelson eventually prevailed.

He said: “It was a special moment hitting that wonderful shot on the 15th, but I knew I needed one more birdie to put pressure on the leaders. It was a great shot considering the situation and the moment.

“I hit a few good shots during that week, but not under those circumstances”.

In second place was the delicate chip-and-run played by another Spaniard, Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano, on his way to winning the BMW Asian Open, while third went to Sweden’s Niclas Fasth, whose nine-iron approach to the fourth play-off hole secured the Spanish Open title.