If the axiom that Gary Player popularized in the golf was scrupulous – “the more I train, the more luck I have” -, the 2025 Masters that starts today would have to win Bryson Dechambeau. José María Olazábal, who is a regular on the practices court, threw 236 balls on Tuesday. For years, tireless golfer, it was the paradigm until in the comparison ends by the golfer scientist, who breaks all molds. He hit 393, testing all kinds of drivers that marked with a red marker the head of each of them if they had too much spin or diverted to the right or left. Crazy.
“I am not so surprised,” says Rictus the 1994 and 1999 champion. “I have given more than 400 many times. It only attracts attention here, in a field that requires keeping many energies.”
But golf is not that in the Augusta National, the Masters stage, a place where, despite Hurricane Helena in September that took more than a thousand trees ahead, taking the street is key. Whoever is up in that section will have victory options. And that knows Sergio García, the 2017 champion, who faithful to his style, distanced from the models that proclaim success after many balls given, only 36.
The Masters where Scottie Scheffler tries to become the fourth player who revalidates the jacket – Nicklaus, Faldo and Tiger did not achieve it – is the great Spanish. Four different winners, for only one in the British and the US Open “the reason why this field is so good is because it demands a lot of imagination and a good short game,” says Jon Rahm to justify a resounding event: Spain is the second power in the green jacket tournament, only behind the United States, with six victories.
“It’s hard to explain,” says Nacho Gervás, the sports director of the Spanish Golf Federation, who now applauds as the last great talent, Josele Ballester, plays the most exclusive tournament in the world, reserved this year to 95 participants. “Not having millions of practitioners in Spain is the reason for the question. The one that has most to do with all this is Severiano Ballesteros. His inspiration has been total and an effect of we are capable has been generated, we are for them. A translation to the golf of William Wallace’s speech to his people in Braveheart.”
Severiano Ballesteros is invested by Craig Stadler in 1983.
And that spirit is in the opinion of the old professional, “it knew how to convey very well to Olazábal, this one to Sergio, Jon … in the world of sport when you can break the ice is easier for another player to come and do it again. Because you think you can. Your spirit here is very present, it is very difficult not to listen to the name of Severian in this field.”
Olazábal, the first of the apostles, coincides with Gervás in the key of the “short game. For the type of peculiar field. In the sense that she demands, in addition to an exquisite distance control, much ability around the Green. And in that the Spaniards meet.”
“That has allowed now any Spaniard who arrives at Masters thinks he can win it someday,” says Gervás. Ballester, prudent and in the first stage, signs to be the best amateur. For now…