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José María Olazábal

Spain · born , Hondarribia, Spain

2major championships

Summary

  • First major 1994 The Masters
  • Last major 1999 The Masters
  • Ryder Cup 7 Cups · 18-8-5 · 20.5 points (66.1%)
  • Ryder Cup captain 2012
  • Runner-up in majors 1 time
  • Other titles 1984 The Amateur
  • 2024 PGA Tour 1 events · 0 top 10s

Wins

  1. 1984 The Amateur Championship Formby Golf Club · 5 & 4
  2. 1994 The Masters Augusta National Golf Club · 279 (-9) · by 2 strokes from Tom Lehman
  3. 1999 The Masters Augusta National Golf Club · 280 (-8) · by 2 strokes from Davis Love III

Near misses

  1. 1991 The Masters Augusta National Golf Club · runner-up to Ian Woosnam · 278
  2. 1992 The Open Muirfield · finished 3 · 274 (-10)
  3. 2005 The Open Old Course, St Andrews · finished T3 · 280 (-8)

Ryder Cup

7 Cups, 31 matches: 18 won, 8 lost, 5 halved, 20.5 points. Foursomes 7-2-1, four-ball 9-2-3, singles 2-4-1.

  1. 1987 Muirfield Village Golf Club Europe · Europe won 15–13 · 3-2-0, 3 points · captain's pick
  2. 1989 The Belfry (Brabazon Course) Europe · tied 14–14 · 4-0-1, 4.5 points · automatic
  3. 1991 The Ocean Course, Kiawah Island Golf Resort Europe · USA won 14.5–13.5 · 3-1-1, 3.5 points · captain's pick
  4. 1993 The Belfry (Brabazon Course) Europe · USA won 15–13 · 2-3-0, 2 points · captain's pick
  5. 1997 Valderrama Golf Club Europe · Europe won 14.5–13.5 · 2-2-1, 2.5 points · automatic
  6. 1999 The Country Club (Championship/Composite Course) Europe · USA won 14.5–13.5 · 1-0-2, 2 points · automatic
  7. 2006 The K Club (Palmer Course) Europe · Europe won 18.5–9.5 · 3-0-0, 3 points · automatic
  8. 2012 Captain Europe · won 14.5–13.5

Rivals

Beat him

Ryder Cup partners

Ryder Cup opponents

Next in the chain: Ian Woosnam's rivals →

Moments

  1. 1994 Masters Olazabal became the second Spaniard to win the Masters, after Seve Ballesteros, finishing two ahead of Tom Lehman.
  2. 1994 Masters It was the first Masters since 1954 in which neither Arnold Palmer nor Jack Nicklaus played the weekend.
  3. 1999 Masters Olazabal won his second Masters, finishing two strokes ahead of Davis Love III after leading by one entering the final round.
  4. 1999 Masters Steve Pate made seven consecutive birdies in the third round, a first in Masters history.
  5. 1997 Ryder Cup Miguel Ángel Martín (10th on the points list, wrist injury) refused a fitness test and was replaced by José María Olazábal (11th).

Records and firsts

  1. — Ryder Cup Best pairing · 15 matches, 11-2-2, 12 pts (1987–1993)

Results by championship

    Best day

    1999 Masters

    Augusta National Golf Club · 280 (-8) · by 2 strokes from Davis Love III

    Olazabal won his second Masters, finishing two strokes ahead of Davis Love III after leading by one entering the final round.

    Steve Pate made seven consecutive birdies in the third round, a first in Masters history.

    Chosen by rule: his widest winning margin in a major. Year page: 1999.

    Career line, 1984–2024

    Masters
    1991 Masters: runner-up to Ian Woosnam1994 Masters: won1999 Masters: won
    The Open
    1992 The Open: finished 32005 The Open: finished T3
    Ryder Cup
    1987 Ryder Cup (Europe): 3-2-01989 Ryder Cup (Europe): 4-0-11991 Ryder Cup (Europe): 3-1-11993 Ryder Cup (Europe): 2-3-01997 Ryder Cup (Europe): 2-2-11999 Ryder Cup (Europe): 1-0-22006 Ryder Cup (Europe): 3-0-0
    The Amateur
    1984 The Amateur: won
    PGA Tour 2024–26
    2024 PGA Tour season: 1 events
    1990200020102020

    14 results. Hover or tap a mark; click it for the year.

    • Major win
    • Other win
    • Runner-up
    • Top 10
    • Ryder Cup, GB / Europe
    • Tour season

    José María Olazábal was born on February 5, 1966, in Hondarribia, Spain. Olazábal won 2 major championships: 2 Masters (1994, 1999). Olazábal played in 7 Ryder Cups for Europe (1987, 1989, 1991, 1993, 1997, 1999, 2006), winning 18, losing 8 and halving 5 of 31 matches for 20.5 points, and captained the side in 2012. In the 2024 PGA Tour season, Olazábal played 1 event.

    See José María Olazábal in our rooms: The Masters, The Open and Every Ground.

    Cards you pull this visit stack here. Tap one to go back to it.

    The record

    Wins in the majors (2)

    1. 1984 The Amateur Championship Formby Golf Club · 5 & 4
    2. 1994 The Masters Augusta National Golf Club · 279 (-9) · by 2 strokes from Tom Lehman
    3. 1999 The Masters Augusta National Golf Club · 280 (-8) · by 2 strokes from Davis Love III

    Near misses

    Top-10 finishes are listed for The Open, the one championship with a full top 10 every year.

    1. 1991 The Masters Augusta National Golf Club · runner-up to Ian Woosnam · 278
    2. 1992 The Open Muirfield · finished 3 · 274 (-10)
    3. 2005 The Open Old Course, St Andrews · finished T3 · 280 (-8)

    Ryder Cup

    Olazábal played 7 Ryder Cups for Europe: 31 matches, 18 won, 8 lost, 5 halved, 20.5 points (66.1% of those available). By format: foursomes 7-2-1, four-ball 9-2-3, singles 2-4-1 (won-lost-halved). Vice-captain: 2008; 2010*; 2014; 2023; 2025.

    1. 1987 Muirfield Village Golf Club Europe · Europe won 15–13 · 3-2-0, 3 points · captain's pick
    2. 1989 The Belfry (Brabazon Course) Europe · tied 14–14 · 4-0-1, 4.5 points · automatic
    3. 1991 The Ocean Course, Kiawah Island Golf Resort Europe · USA won 14.5–13.5 · 3-1-1, 3.5 points · captain's pick
    4. 1993 The Belfry (Brabazon Course) Europe · USA won 15–13 · 2-3-0, 2 points · captain's pick
    5. 1997 Valderrama Golf Club Europe · Europe won 14.5–13.5 · 2-2-1, 2.5 points · automatic
    6. 1999 The Country Club (Championship/Composite Course) Europe · USA won 14.5–13.5 · 1-0-2, 2 points · automatic
    7. 2006 The K Club (Palmer Course) Europe · Europe won 18.5–9.5 · 3-0-0, 3 points · automatic
    8. 2012 Captain Europe · won 14.5–13.5

    Partners, with matches played together: Seve Ballesteros (15), Costantino Rocca (3), Miguel Ángel Jiménez (2), Sergio García (2), Joakim Haeggman (1), Ignacio Garrido (1).

    PGA Tour seasons, 2024–2026

    1. 2024 Season 1 events · 0 wins · 0 top 10s · 1 cuts made · $57,200 official money

    2026 runs through the Baycurrent Classic (ended October 11, 2026).

    Other wins in championships we cover

    1. 1984 The Amateur Championship Formby Golf Club · 5 & 4

    Masters Champions Dinner

    1995, as the 1994 champion

    1. Starter / appetizer Jumbo lump crabmeat cocktail
    2. Soup / salad Collard green soup
    3. Main course Txitxarro en salsa verde (fish in Basque green sauce — reprinted as "halibut"); roast rack of lamb; prime NY sirloin; broiled chicken
    4. Sides Asparagus; roasted herb new potatoes; baked potato

    Confidence: Confirmed (with conflict). Menu status: Full. Other outlets list "paella and hake, plus tapas" instead; the media guide version is preferred.

    2000, as the 1999 champion

    1. Starter / appetizer Tapas table
    2. Soup / salad Romaine lettuce with olive oil and vinegar [compiled lists only; not on the European Tour menu]
    3. Main course Solomillo de buey salsa bordelesa (beef tenderloin in red-wine sauce); broiled grouper; grilled lamb chop; broiled chicken
    4. Sides French fried potatoes; grilled wild mushrooms; green beans
    5. Dessert Double chocolate cake
    Tapas table / Solomillo de buey salsa bordelesa / French fried potatoes / Grilled wild mushrooms / Broiled grouper / Grilled lamb chop / Broiled chicken / Green beans / Double chocolate cake

    Confidence: Reported. Menu status: Full. Spanish, but simple.

    Records and firsts

    Rows from our record tables that name this player, worded as the tables word them.

    1. — Ryder Cup Best pairing · 15 matches, 11-2-2, 12 pts (1987–1993)

    Sources

    Elsewhere: Wikipedia · Wikidata.

    Every fact on this page comes from Golf Network News data sets compiled in October 2026 (Masters, PGA Championship, The Open, U.S. Women's Open, Ryder Cup, PGA Tour 2024–2026, major host sites, Champions Dinner menus, and the U.S. Open and state rooms). These are the sources those rows cite.

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    5. golfcompendium.com: pga championship winners
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