Jose Maria Olazabal

European Tour Playoff Record: 2-2
PGA Tour Victories: 6 - 1990 World Series of Golf; 1991 International; 1994 Masters, World Series of Golf; 1999 Masters; 2002 Buick Invitational.
European Tour Victories: 23 - 1986 Ebel European Masters, Swiss Open, Sanyo Open; 1988 Volvo Belgian Open, German Masters; 1989 Tenerife Open, KLM Dutch Open; 1990 Benson & Hedges International, Irish Open, Lancome Trophy; 1991 Open Catalonia, Epson Grand Prix; 1992 Turespana Masters, Turespana Open de Tenerife; 1994 Masters, Turespana Open Mediterrania, Volvo PGA Championship; 1997 Turespana Masters-Open De Canarias; 1998 Dubai Desert Classic; 1999 Masters; 2000 Benson & Hedges International; 2001 Novotel Perrier Open De France; 2002 Omega Hong Kong Open; 2005 Mallorca Classic.
International Victories: 1989 Visa Taiheiyo Masters (Japan); 1990 Taiheiyo Masters (Japan); and 1995 Tournoi Perrier de Paris (with Seve Ballesteros).
Olazabal started playing golf at age 6. His mother often took him out on the Real Golf Club de San Sebastian late in the afternoon when the course was deserted. Both his parents worked at the golf club (his father was the greenkeeper). He had an outstanding amateur career, winning the 1983 Italian, Spanish, and British Boys Amateur Championships and the 1984 British, Belgian, and Spanish Amateur Championships.
He turned professional in 1985. In his first season on the European Tour, he won twice (Swiss Open and Sanyo Open) and finished 2nd on the Order of Merit. After slipping to 17th in 1987, he found his form again in 1988 and finished 3rd, 2nd, 3rd, 7th, 6th, 18th, and 4th on the Order of Merit until 1995.
In 1995, he started an 18-month absence from competitive golf because of a painful foot condition that was initially misdiagnosed as rheumatoid arthritis. When a doctor in Germany started therapy on his back in 1996, the foot problem was alleviated, and he returned to the European Tour at the 1997 Dubai Classic. He then won the 1997 Turespana Masters-Open de Canarias in his third tournament back. His comeback was complete when he won the 1999 Masters.
Member of the 1987, '89, '91, '93, '97, '99 and 2006 Ryder Cup teams.
He made his Ryder Cup debut at age 21 in 1987. He combined with his compatriot and great friend, Seve Ballesteros, to form the most successful partnership in the competition's history, winning 11 matches, halving two, and losing only two.
Captained Europe to its comeback victory at the 2012 Ryder Cup, as his team overcame a 10-6 deficit in the final-day singles at Medinah Country Club to win 14-and-a-half to 13-and-a-half. Dedicated the win to Ballesteros. Was Nick Faldo's vice-captain at the 2008 Ryder Cup at Valhalla Golf Club in Kentucky, and in 2010, assisted in Europe's victory at Celtic Manor Resort, albeit in somewhat different circumstances. Having turned up to fulfill a sponsorship obligation, he was drafted as captain Colin Montgomerie's fifth vice-captain on the second day, when the playing format changed. His words of wisdom helped inspire the team to its win. He became the second Spaniard inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame when he joined Ballesteros in that illustrious group in November 2009.
Played 18 times in Europe in 2011, with one top-10 (T-5th at Iberdrola Open), and finished 169th in the Race to Dubai.
In 2012, he played 22 times in Europe, with one top-10 finish (6th at Volvo Golf Champions) and 88th in the Race to Dubai.
In 2013, he played 22 times in Europe, with one top-10 (T-5th at the Irish Open), and finished 126th in the Race to Dubai.
He played 18 times in Europe in 2014, with five made cuts. Best result was 36th at the Volvo Golf Champions. He finished 162nd in the Race to Dubai. He placed T-34th at his 26th Masters.
In 2015, he placed T-9th at the Trophee Hassan II and missed the cut at the Masters.
2016 Notes: He could not play at the Masters for health reasons that had kept him from competing for one year. He made two starts on the European Tour in the fall, missing the cut at the Portugal Masters and British Masters in October.
2017 Notes: Played at the Qatar Masters and Dubai Desert Classic, missing the cut. He made his PGA Tour Champions debut at the Allianz Championship, finishing T-41st. He made his 28th start at the Masters but did not make the cut. He competed at 12 PGA Tour Champions events with one top-10 finish when he teamed with Miguel Angel Jimenez to finish T-8th at the Bass Pro Shops Legends of Golf.
2018 Notes: He played eight events on the PGA Tour Champions. He finished T-3rd at the Bass Pro Shops Legends of Golf, teamed with Miguel Angel Jimenez, who birdied the last two holes. The pair finished one stroke out of the playoff. He made his 28th start at the Masters but did not make the cut.
2019 Notes: He played in nine PGA Tour Champions events and was 85th in the Schwab Cup ranking. His best finish was 21st at the Bass Pro Shops Legends of Golf, paired with Miguel Angel Jimenez. His individual best finish was T-25th at the Chubb Classic and Mitsubishi Electric Classic. He played in 10 European Tour events and didn't make a cut, including in his 29th Masters.
2020-21 Notes: Played 19 events on PGA Tour Champions in the combined season with one top-ten finish. He was T-5th at the Morocco Champions. He went into the final round just two strokes back and shot a closing 71 to finish five shots back of the winner, Brett Quigley. He only played twice in Europe in 2020, missing the cut at the Andalucia Masters and Portugal Masters. His last competitive event on the European Tour was finishing T-50th at the 2021 Masters. In 2021, Olazabal played in 14 Champions events, with the best finish of T-25th at the Dominion Energy Charity Classic.
2022 Notes: He played in 13 events on the PGA Tour Champions. His best finish was T-33rd at the Cologuard Classic. He missed the cut at the Masters.
2023 Notes: He played in 10 Champions Tour events, and his best finish was T-48th at the Mitsubishi Electric Classic.
2024 Notes: Played in 10 PGA Tour Champions events with one top-25 finish. Was 100th on the Schwab money list with earnings of $72,974. Best finish T-15th at the Hoag Classic. Missed the cut at the Masters. Played in four Legends Tour events, best finish T-31st at the European Legends Cup.
2025 Notes: Missed the cut at the Masters and was T-9th at the Staysure Marbello Legends.