The moment Jose Maria Olazabal walked off the golf course, he was asked the obvious question: How was it playing with the son of his great friend?
Olazabal thought for a moment, perhaps lost in the memory of the peerless Seve Ballesteros, whose heroics and magical abilities continue to inspire millions of golfers across the globe, before saying: “On the first tee, when I saw Javier, I saw Seve.
“I was very emotional at that moment. He brought back a lot of memories of Seve. I could see a lot of Seve on the golf course. He has the same mannerisms as his father, particularly when he’s standing over the ball.
“His short game is very nice. His chipping and putting very good, like his father.”
But Olazabal was also frank in his assessment of Javier’s game, just in case he has any plans of turning pro soon.
“He really needs to improve. He was very erratic off the tee,” revaled the former European Ryder Cup captain and multiple major winner.
“He’s concentrating on his studies in Madrid at the moment. He has another year and a half, two years at least. We will see after that.”
And despite his wayward game, Javier did not exactly disgrace himself, shooting a two-over round of 74, just two less than Olazabal and Miguel Angel Jimenez, his playing partners.
That included an almost Seve-like birdie on the third, where he had leaked his drive almost 50 yards off the fairways and in the desert.
The 23-year-old law student admitted he was fairly nervous on the first tee.
“A little bit. It is important to have fun. Playing with Jose Maria and Miguel Angel, who I have known many years, made it easier,” Ballesteros said.
“Being able to play here for my dad, I try to play my best and make him proud.”
And on the pressures of living up to the Ballesteros name, Javier added: “Not really. I think what my dad did was fantastic, really incredible. I just try to be myself and play golf.”
