MASTERS TOURNAMENT

April 6, 2026

Jose Maria Olazabal

Quick Quotes

Q. First impressions, the feelings?

JOSÉ MARÍA OLAZÁBAL: The feelings are great. Every time I come here, this is a very special place for me, for my heart. I have wonderful memories. This place has given me so much in my career for major events. It's always fantastic to be back here.

Q. The last years we've been talking about how long the golf course is getting. By now you're used to it?

JOSÉ MARÍA OLAZÁBAL: That doesn't mean I like it. Yes, obviously I'm getting used to the golf course playing extremely long for me. There are certain holes that I barely reach the green in 2. No. 5 is a good example of that, No. 11 is another one. Then I do have a lot of par-4s that I'm hitting really long irons, even 7-woods on to the greens.

As I said, it's always great to be here. My goal is just to put a couple of decent scores the first two days and try to enjoy it as much as I can.

Q. Everybody still uses you as a reference around the greens, so does that experience still help you?

JOSÉ MARÍA OLAZÁBAL: Well, sure. The more you play this golf course, the better it is. We've always said, this golf course nowadays demands a whole game. You need to be long and straight off the tee. You have to be sharp with your irons, and on top of that, your short game has to be really good. Knowing the contours of the greens and all that obviously helps you around the greens, and when you play it, I don't know, 37 times or 38 times over years, you get to know the course a little better.

Q. Your analysis, looking at the field, looking at how everybody is playing, how do you see the week and who could be up there?

JOSÉ MARÍA OLAZÁBAL: Well, anybody can win here. Every player playing this week has earned the right to be here. They play great golf. Obviously we do have the usual suspects to be up there on top. But it's a golf course that has a lot of teeth, and you never know.

But I expect the top players to do well here this week. I think the weather forecast is pretty good for the week. Obviously you will see long hitters doing well here, I imagine.