magic moments - ollie's debut (1987)
Olazabal - faced Stewart three days running.
By Carl Markham, PA Sport
Jose Maria Olazabal v Payne Stewart, Muirfield Village 1987 The Spanish rookie made his Ryder Cup debut at the age of 21 in one of the most significant matches in the history of the competition. Olazabal was eased into the tournament by captain Tony Jacklin, as he was paired with compatriot and Europe's leading star Seve Ballesteros. He must have wondered what all the fuss was about as the pair recorded one-hole victories over Larry Nelson and Payne Stewart and Curtis Strange and Tom Kite on the opening day. Having taken another point off Ben Crenshaw and Stewart on the second day in a burgeoning partnership with Ballesteros which was to become one of the most magical in Ryder Cup history, Olazabal went into the final day of singles matches with his confidence sky high. Europe had built a 10.5-5.5 lead and a first triumph on American soil was beginning to look a distinct possibility. Olazabal faced Stewart for the third successive day and it was an encounter which still sticks in the Ryder Cup star's memory despite it being one of his few defeats, having featured in 28 matches during the six events he has played in so far. "It is hard to say there is a single one match which is my favourite but a very special one was the 1987 Ryder Cup," Olazabal said. "There have a been a lot of good matches but I have to say I very much enjoyed the matches I played with Payne Stewart. The fact he is no longer here with us makes it even more special." Stewart died aged just 42 when a private jet crashed in South Dakota in 1999 - just a month after playing in his fifth Ryder Cup. "I played with him at Muirfield Village and two years later at The Belfry. He beat me at Muirfield and I managed to beat him at The Belfry but it was always nice to play with a guy like him on the golf course. "He was a true gentleman and it was very special. He played the Ryder Cup in the right spirit." Despite the Spaniard's defeat Europe went on to close out a 15-13 victory and Olazabal said the enormity of the team's achievement took a while to sink in. "It was the first time we had won on American soil; the atmosphere and the emotions we went through that week were very, very special," he added. Much has been made of the importance of the Europeans' team spirit in their last two victories and the Spaniard admitted it was a key factor which he himself had benefited from in the relationship he enjoyed with Ballesteros. "We understood each other very well on the golf course, we pretty much thought the same way and played pretty much the same game," he said. "We were not that precise off the tee but we relied more on our short game. I think we had the same mentality and I think that helped to build the right chemistry when playing the foursomes and the fourballs. "It is very important. You have to have that chemistry, you have to feel comfortable with your player - he has to be almost part of yourself and that has to be key. "Sometimes you can play with a player who is not playing at his best but he keeps the highest spirit and the will and supports you and that is important." Olazabal is making a Ryder Cup return after a seven-year absence and he is confident he can make a valuable contribution. "It is going to be nice to be back in the team and hopefully we can enjoy the atmosphere of the team as we have done in the past," he added. "I always felt, at 40 years old, I was not too old to be in the team."
