Two days before the start of the Murphy's Irish Open at Fota Island, the 1990 champion considered the possibility of the 1999 champion becoming a champion among champions. And Jose-Maria Olazabal concluded: "I don't think you will ever see Sergio Garcia play at the same level as Tiger Woods." But in an analysis of Spanish golfing skills, the two-time US Masters champion went on to suggest that Garcia had a better chance of success in all four major championships than the illustrious Seve Ballesteros. All of which was prompted by the 21-year-old's second American victory in the rain-delayed Buick Classic last Monday.
Olazabal has been one of the Irish Open's most loyal supporters since 1985, when he made his debut in the event as an amateur, at Royal Dublin, sharing 34th place with no less a figure than Lee Trevino, behind Ballesteros. Indeed he is now set to challenge at a seventh different venue. And he likes it.
"The golf course is very nice and in very good shape, considering there was quite a bit of rain this morning," he said. "The drainage worked very, very well and the set-up is good. The drive on the 18th is tighter and more dangerous than at Augusta National. Overall, I think you will have to play good golf to score well around here." Then, turning again to Garcia, he went on: "Maybe in a few years' time a guy will come along with the same potential as Tiger, but there is no one there at the moment. And that includes Sergio." At this stage of his development, how does Sergio compare with Seve? "Well, they play a very different game," replied Olazabal.
"Seve had a great touch around the greens; that was his great strength. Sergio is a more steady player who doesn't have to rely so much on finesse and imagination. That will give him a better chance of winning the US Open and the USPGA Championship, which he has already proved."
It seems unthinkable that Spain will not have at least two representatives in the Ryder Cup team to face the US at The Belfry in September. But in the current table, Olazabal, after only five tournaments in Europe this year, is in 10th place, despite winning the French Open. And Garcia is next best in 15th place.
Hero of countless battles as the younger half of the Spanish Armada, he remains luke-warm about the prospect of a seventh Ryder Cup appearance. "I said earlier this year that it would not be the end of the world if I didn't make the team and nothing has changed," he said. "And it has nothing to do with what happened at Brookline (where he was an innocent victim of the 17th green fiasco)."
The impression was of a player somewhat dispirited at recent inconsistency with the blade. Ballesteros was once moved to remark: "Nobody is better than Jose from around three metres."
Such precision seemed no more than a wistful memory, however, when he admitted yesterday: "My putting has been quite bad, to be honest. It doesn't matter how good you strike the ball, if you can't make putts, you will struggle to score." Everything seemed a lot easier back in 1990 when he captured this title at Portmarnock, a course he had first played as a 14-year-old in the Junior World Cup.
