José María Olazábal
A Spanish golfer with magical hands around the greens whose fierce passion and Masters triumphs cemented his place among Europe's greats.
Born 1966 (age 60)·Spanish professional golfer·Birthday: February 5·Generation X
Biography
José María Olazábal's genius was tactile, a feel for the game cultivated on the seaside links of his native Basque Country. Paired with fellow Spaniard Seve Ballesteros, he formed half of the 'Spanish Armada' that galvanized European golf and dominated the Ryder Cup with a blend of fiery spirit and short-game sorcery. His career faced a devastating interruption in the mid-1990s when a misdiagnosed foot injury left him barely able to walk. His comeback from that ordeal to win a second Masters title in 1999 stands as one of sport's great narratives of resilience. Beyond his two green jackets, his legacy is etched in his Ryder Cup leadership, both as a record-setting player and as a victorious, emotionally intelligent captain who inspired Europe to the 'Miracle at Medinah' in 2012.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
José was born in 1966, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When José Was Born
The biggest hits of 1966
#1 Movie
The Bible: In the Beginning
Best Picture
A Man for All Seasons
#1 TV Show
Bonanza
José's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1966Born
Star Trek premieres on television
Gas: $0.32/galHome: $14,200Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"The Ballad of the Green Berets" — SSgt Barry SadlerBest Picture: A Man for All Seasons
1971Started school
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1979Became a teenager
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1982Could drive
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1984Could vote
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1987Turned 21
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1996Turned 30
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2006Turned 40
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2016Turned 50
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2026Turned 60
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the Masters Tournament twice, in 1994 and 1999.
- Captained the European Ryder Cup team to a dramatic comeback victory in 2012 (the 'Miracle at Medinah').
- Won 23 times on the European Tour, placing him among its all-time winners.
- Was a key member of multiple winning European Ryder Cup teams as a player, forming a famous partnership with Seve Ballesteros.
Did You Know?
He was known for his exceptional skill with a lob wedge and putter, often cited as having one of the best short games in history.
His 1999 Masters victory came after a severe foot injury that doctors feared might end his career.
He is an avid fan of the soccer club Real Sociedad.
He designed the golf course at the Finca Cortesin resort in Spain, which has hosted the Volvo World Match Play Championship.
““The Ryder Cup is about passion, about representing Europe, about friendship, about sport.””
