In the Augusta Masters a historical streak staggers. Four Spaniards began on Thursday the tournament and the cut threatens the dismissal or directly eliminates the four. Do not save the sweats at stake is the permanence of a long tradition. Since 1985, precisely the year of Olazabal’s debut in Masters, at least one Spanish golfer has stepped on the weekend. The rosco in the box of finalists has not been written since 1984. In that edition only severe ballesteros participated among the Spanish players, and the Cantabrian did not pass the cut after turns of 73 and 74 blows the year after dressing with his second green jacket.
Seve has been accompanied since then Olazabal, and then Miguel Ángel Jiménez, and later Sergio García and now Rahm, who has his best stage. Since then there are 41 consecutive years with at least one representative among men who play glory on Saturday and Sunday. The streak is more threatened than ever and only Rahm puts it safe.
Chema Olazabal ends the day with +7. Augusta becomes too long for the 59 -year -old champion, the holes are endless highways for those who are not able to devour so many yards with his body. “Good with the puttsbut bad with the irons, and so there is no way, ”summarizes Olazabal, happy despite everything to step on this field where La Paz finds and where, if he continues with the custom, he would reach the large ones within four springs.
He also prepares the suitcases Sergio García, and that is more strange because the Castellón (45 years) landed with the moral up, proud of and with the head more serene than ever to endure the sticks when the game does not accompany. A second round of +4, after the first day, made him look. “It has been a hard day, it has cost me to hit with confidence and I had no fortune. Good blows ended in bogeyand in that situation this is a field that mentally tortures you, ”said Garcia. Again the face and cross in the Masters: after dressing with the green jacket in 2017, there are six cuts failed in seven editions. In Spanish he took at least one smile Rudy Fernández, the myth of the basketball retired last summer and has visited Augusta to feed his passion for golf Six months.
In the edge of the razor was Rahm (+2). The Basque added all even but birdie At least it was possible to bet on him, in a hole 7 in which he flew from the street failed to the bunker and the emboque from the sand. Curious, the discounted blow went without kicking. One last putt Converted into 18, it allowed him to maintain his streak of nine cuts surpassed in nine masters and thus save the pride of the Spanish golf.
Also on his card and the cabalas Josele Ballester depended, who started the round with +4 and had to row a lot. At the top of the table they sent Justin Rose with -8, Bryson Dechambeau with -7 and Rory Mcilroy with -6.
A troop of 16 Spanish players has played the Augusta Masters throughout its history. Olazabal (36 participations), Seve (28) and García (26) head a list that completes Jiménez, Rahm, Ramón Sota, Ángel Miguel, Rafa Cabrera Bello, Álvaro Quirós, Gonzalo Fernández-Castaño, Sebastián Miguel, Alejandro Larrazábal, Antonio Garrido, Nacho Garrido, Manuel Piñero and Josele Ballester. Among them, 146 Masters add up and have fattened the passion for this tournament.
