Double Masters winning Jose Maria Olazabal says over aggression led to Rory McIlroy’s Masters meltdown.
McIlroy still enjoyed a one stroke lead standing on the 10th tee but walked off the final green losing by nine strokes to Springbok Charl Schwartzel.
It now extends Europe’s Augusta National drought to 13 years since Olazabal won a second green jacket in 1999.
Over aggression leads to McIlroy's Augusta anguish says Olazabal
Europe’s Ryder Cup captain watched the final action unfold on a 52-inch 3D TV screen in the company of long-time manager, Sergio Gomez in the Augusta house they rented with some friends.
“I feel sorry for Rory because for three-and-a-half round he led the Masters, and you don’t want to have to see what he went through,” said Olazabal.
“It is going to be a big learning experience for him but then what happened to him on Sunday was because of lack of experience.
“He could have approached the last day differently. For starters, I would not have been so aggressive with the driver off the tee,
“There were a couple holes on the front nine and then the 10th where I would not have taken driver off the tee.
“Rory’s already very long off the tee and maybe he should have considered not hitting driver all the time and just find the fairway with his 3-wood.
“But he’s going to learn a lot from this.”
Olazabal was fitted for a second Masters green jacket in 1999 but had reminded McIloy, as had happened to him in 1991, that before you win a Major you perhaps have to first lose one.
“It is always tough to win Major as I went so close to winning at Augusta in ’91 when Woosie won,” said Olazabal.
“I learnt some much from finishing second that year so you really have to be in that position of losing before you win a Major.
“And the more years you play, and then when you win one, you realise as the years go by how difficult it is to win another win.
“It also showed last Sunday how some of the players were good down the stretch, and for those guys to score the way they did was just amazing. “
Last week was Olazabal’s 23 Masters and while he missed the cut this year, the Spaniard was glued to the TV set throughout the weekend.
“It was a very good Masters and it was good to see so many players playing so well down the stretch,” he added.
“I think there was seven guys leading at one time or another on Sunday.
“But the way everybody played was amazing as Geoff Ogivly had a chance to win and then Adam Scott played really solid and didn’t make any mistakes.
“Tiger had it going on the front nine but then all of a sudden his putter when cold, and then there was Jason Day in the same scenario and in only his first Masters.
“Very few times like last Sunday do you see so many players in contention down the stretch when it’s needed the most.
“It was just amazing watching it on TV because one minute one guy was leading and next minute another player was leading.”
Meantime –
Olazabal confirmed his next event will be the May 5th commencing Spanish Open in Barcelona.
Olazabal indicated also he has accepted an invitation to compete in the Jack Nicklaus hosted Memorial starting in Ohio on June 2nd.
He will then travel to Memphis for the following week’s Fedex St. Jude Classi before attempting to try and qualify for the U.S. Open.
Fatiha Betscher
