What a shame those three putts on the 17th hole of this final round of the Staysure Marbella Legends… Chema had hit a great 4-iron for his second shot on this hole and had left himself a birdie chance from about six metres, so leaving there with a bogey after missing a one-metre return putt leaves you with a bittersweet feeling…
The truth is that for all three days we left Aloha feeling that we had fallen short in terms of results compared to the play. But, despite everything, I think the final balance is more than decent, quite good. In each entry of this diary, I have mentioned a very specific circumstance and today I do it again: after all, Olazábal had not competed for a long time and even couldn’t train properly due to that injury at the bicep insertion with the left shoulder, so I think his performance in Aloha has been very commendable.
An example, to make it clear. There hasn’t been a single practice or warm-up session all week where Chema hit more than ninety balls, when normally he can easily reach three hundred. The important thing is that the shoulder has held up, thanks also to those preventive measures.
In the end, even if you are José María Olazábal and have already done everything in golf, you also want to achieve good results, which is why that three-putt on the 17th hurt, right at the end of a well-worked round. But I think Chema leaves Aloha having noticed good things in his game, especially from tee to green. Hopefully, he can arrive at the Masters in the best possible way, especially so that he can enjoy that very special week for him even more.
As for my experience, I repeat: I am grateful to Chema for having carried his bag this week. I have always considered myself a competitive animal and, now that I can’t play and compete, coming out of a serious wrist injury, this is another way to live it. Moreover, Olazábal always conveys that intensity with which he lives golf and that determination to improve wherever possible.
