Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Will José María Olazábal lead the European team in the 2010 Ryder Cup?

(This entry was first published on Monday, January 12th, 2009)

Professional Spanish Golfer, José María Olazábal said that if he is allowed, he would be very happy to lead the European team in the 2010 Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor. Olazabal first participated in Ryder Cup in 1987 at the age of 21. In total he participated in the cup seven times. Olazabal was Nick Flado’s deputy at the 2008 Ryder Cup. Earlier, Olazabal did not think seriously about leading the team. Whether he would lead the team or not would be decided by the 15 man Tournament Committee that meets in Abu Dhabi on January 13, 2009. Other top favorites in the list are Sandy Lyle and Ian Woosnam.

José María Olazábal started as a golfer at the age of nineteen. He is among those rare breed of golfers who succeeded in the European Tour and the PGA Tour. He won two major championships. However, it would be a tough call for Olazabal because he is suffering from rheumatism. Olazabal specializes in match play. Together with Severiano Ballesteros they formed the most successful partnership in the Ryder Cup history winning eleven matches.

As Severiano Ballesteros health deteriorated, Olazabal became the captain of the European team in the Royal Trophy. Though European team lost 10-6, Olazabal was praised for his leadership qualities. The players of the European team blamed their poor performances instead of the captain.

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