Olazabal eyes local boost

Olazabal: Looking for some much-needed form in Spain

Jose Maria Olazabal hopes some local course knowledge can help him find some much-needed form as he plays his first Spanish Open in seven years this week.

The European Ryder Cup captain has struggled with injuries over the last few years, with debilitating bouts of arthritis severely hindering the amount of golf he can play.

45-year-old Olazabal will have former British Amateur champion Alex Larrazabal, brother of Tour regular Pablo, as caddie for the Spanish Open starting on Thursday.

31-year-old Spaniard Larrazabal is well-versed on the new El Prat course near Barcelona, and having him on his bag could help Olazabal grab an advantage over the rest of the field.

Despite his health problems, Olazabal insists it is not an excuse for him missing four cuts in his last six starts and lying well down in 161st place in the Race To Dubai, but hopes for an up-turn in fortunes with Larrazabal in Spain.

“I’m struggling… don’t seem to find my way,” Olazabal said on Tuesday. “My health is OK, not a hundred per cent but bearable. It’s certainly no excuse not to play well.

“Alex knows El Prat well, he has played competitive golf and he can help me make decisions. He has a fighting spirit which keeps me going.”

A second stint of arthritis limited Olazabal to just three events last season, but he insists his health in improving and would not have taken the role as Ryder Cup captain if he was still struggling.

Two-timer Masters champion Olazabal will have some tricky putting conditions to handle on the new Greg Norman-designed course, but Larrazabal is looking forward to showing his fellow Spaniard around the track.

“It’s not a long course but the greens are deceptive and the second nine is more strategic than the first,” Larrazabal said.