Olazabal keen to make most of surroundings

Jose Maria Olazabal, the leading European at the Masters yet again two weeks ago, will make another attempt to land his first Spanish Open title this week – and the 37-year-old will do so in a part of the world that has brought him great success in the past.

Two of Olazabal's 22 European Tour victories were the Tenerife Open in 1989 and 1992 and it is to Tenerife in the Canary Islands that the famous championship, first contested in 1912, moves this year.

"I have something special for this island," the former Ryder Cup man said yesterday, not forgetting either that it was nearby Gran Canaria that was the scene of his emotional success in the 1997 Turespaña Masters, which came only three events into his comeback from an 18-month lay-off during which he feared he might not walk again.

After a worrying slump on the US Tour at the start of this season Olazabal was inspired by the surroundings of Augusta National just as he has been so often before. The winner of the Masters in 1994 and 1999, he followed up his fourth place finish last year by coming eighth and was disappointed it was not even better.

Joint fifth with a round to go, Olazabal would have been delighted to be told beforehand that he would outscore his playing partner Tiger Woods, but a 73 to the world No 1's 75 was not what he was looking for and he ended up seven strokes behind the play-off pair Mike Weir and Len Mattiace. "I putted very badly," he admitted. "I thought that if I started well and made some birdies I had some hope, but I never thought I would have to get to seven under."

Olazabal's compatriot, Sergio Garcia, is the defending champion here at the Costa Adeje course, the 23-year-old having also hinted at a revival in his fortunes at Augusta National. He was tied for second behind Darren Clarke after an opening round 69, but managed only a 78 in the second round and eventually finished joint 28th.