Olazabal forced to withdraw from Masters

Spaniard Jose Maria Olazabal has been forced to withdraw from next month’s Masters as health problems put his career under threat.

A two-time winner of the event, the 44-year-old has not played professional golf since last October due to rheumatism.

“He has pain in his shoulder, forearms and hand,” manager Sergio Gomez said of Olazabal, who won the event in 1994 and 1999. “If new miracle remedies help then he will be back, but traditional medicine is failing.”

It is not the first time the Spaniard’s career has been haunted by health problems. He missed the entire season in 1996 after being diagnosed with rheumatoid polyarthritis and concerns grew that he would be confined to a wheelchair.

But the former Ryder Cup star made a momentous recovery to take victory at the Masters just three years later.

The favourite to take over from Colin Montgomerie as Ryder Cup captain, Olazabal finished tied for third in the season’s first major just four years ago and was part of a winning European Ryder Cup team.

Spaniard Jose Maria Olazabal has been forced to withdraw from next month’s Masters as health problems put his career under threat.

A two-time winner of the event, the 44-year-old has not played professional golf since last October due to rheumatism.

“He has pain in his shoulder, forearms and hand,” manager Sergio Gomez said of Olazabal, who won the event in 1994 and 1999. “If new miracle remedies help then he will be back, but traditional medicine is failing.”

It is not the first time the Spaniard’s career has been haunted by health problems. He missed the entire season in 1996 after being diagnosed with rheumatoid polyarthritis and concerns grew that he would be confined to a wheelchair.

But the former Ryder Cup star made a momentous recovery to take victory at the Masters just three years later.

The favourite to take over from Colin Montgomerie as Ryder Cup captain, Olazabal finished tied for third in the season’s first major just four years ago and was part of a winning European Ryder Cup team.

Bryce Ritchie is the Editor of bunkered and, in addition to leading on content and strategy, oversees all aspects of the brand. The first full-time journalist employed by bunkered, he joined the company in 2001 and has been editor since 2009. A member of Balfron Golfing Society, he currently plays off nine and once got a lesson from Justin Thomas’ dad.

Editor of bunkered