An emotional José María Olazábal appeared before the press this morning stating that “this is going to be a very special tournament”. The captain who masterminded the Miracle of Medinah comes to the Open de España in his final year of exemptions on the European Tour and it could be the last appearance at the tournament for the two-time US Masters champion. “I don’t know how many more Opens de España I’ll be able to play”, said Olazábal, who has already said his goodbyes to big events like Wentworth.
In any case, this will be an important week for the Basque, who took the opportunity on Monday to present the redesign of the 9 holes created by his great friend Severiano Ballesteros on the yellow course at the Club de Campo Villa de Madrid. “It will only be an update. I have a lot of respect for Seve’s work”, he stated in the press conference.
Although Olazábal gave no date for the start of the work, he did reveal that the changes he will make are to include the transformation of the 17th –the eighth of those designed by Ballesteros- into a par 5, and the expansion of tees and greens in order to make them more playable for amateurs and to create more pin positions.
