Txema Olazabal: "I say this from the heart, this realm seems endless to me"

Txema Olazabal, 56 -year -old and double champion in Augusta, several editions have passed since he did not fight with the same weapons as others for the important Green jacket: has played 102 laps of competition in Augusta National and his average stroke was 72.90. This Wednesday, Gipuzkoan acknowledged that the field that won him over in 1994 and 1999 and where he debuted as a rookie in 1985 is becoming even more uphill.

“The field is very long; I tell you from the heart, it seems endless to me, I don’t know what others will play, but I have to hit the woods and long scaffolding a second shot and it’s very hard for me. .Make the cut? … no way. My only wish now is not to bother my partner too much in the match.The problem is not to hit the first shot of the tournament (he is playing in the first match, at 8 in the morning), but to hit it well ”(laughs).

The Basque does not face this edition of the Masters in the best physical condition. “I came from an arm injury, the typical tendinitis with bursitis that has not allowed me to have a good preseason and now I am accusing him. But hey, this is a special appointment and I hope it does not affect me too much,” he said in a mixed zone. .

Regarding the champions’ dinner, Txema assured that “it was one of the best in recent years. The food prepared by Hideki Matsuyama was wonderful, as well as his speech. Emotional, both in its content and in the way it was delivered. expressing it. In fact, for many years, I don’t remember that eventually we all got up to applaud him ”.

The day was a bit chaotic this Wednesday, with repeated breaks and the public being driven to the big field, where the game was suspended for about an hour and a half, but the Par 3s were progressing normally.