Will play 2012 on a Major Medical Extension that stems from rheumatism. Coupled with 2008 ($60,200), 2009 ($239,629) and 2011 ($6,330) earnings, has 14 events to earn $546,593 and retain his Major Medical Extension status for the remainder of the season.

2011: Made one cut in six starts. In January, was named captain of the 2012 European Ryder Cup team. 2010: Did not compete on TOUR as he continued to battle rheumatism. 2009: Still affected by rheumatism, made four TOUR starts on the PGA TOUR, making the cut in three with one top-10. Making just his second start of the year, posted a T6 at the Verizon Heritage for his first top-10 finish since the 2007 season.

Was inducted to the World Golf Hall of Fame in November. 2008: Limited to four events due to rheumatism, making two cuts with no top-25 finishes for the first time since 1988. 2007: Played in 16 events with a T3 at THE PLAYERS. 2006: Surpassed $2 million for the first time in his TOUR career but did not qualify for the TOUR Championship as he fell from No. 26 to No. 31 after the last full-field event, the Chrysler Championship. Concentrated on European Tour after the World Golf Championships-American Express Championship…The 2002 Buick Invitational champion missed out on a chance to become the eighth multiple winner of the tournament when he lost in a three-way playoff that included winner Tiger Woods and Nathan Green. Green was eliminated after the first hole and Olazabal lost on the second after missing a 3-foot par putt to tie the hole. Playoff record dropped to 0-2 and it was the second straight season that he has lost in a playoff (2005 BellSouth Classic).

Second top-10 of the season was a seventh-place finish at THE PLAYERS Championship. It marked his best effort at the TPC Sawgrass in 13 starts.

Two-time past Masters champion posted low final round, a 6-under-par 66, to finish T3…In seventh Ryder Cup appearance for the victorious European squad, compiled a 3-0-0 record to extend career record to 18-8-5. 2005: Finished in the top-10 six times in 16 starts, including losing in a five-way playoff at the BellSouth Classic.

Recorded third consecutive top-10 with a T2 at the weather-shortened, 54-hole BellSouth Classic. Missed 5-foot birdie putt on the 54th hole, which would have given him the win. Instead headed into a five-way playoff at 8-under 208 with winner Phil Mickelson, Arjun Atwal, Rich Beem and Brandt Jobe. Missed another putt inside 5 feet on the first extra hole that would have produced the win and was eventually eliminated on the third extra hole.

Just the second time in his TOUR career he has posted three consecutive top-10s. He ran off five in a row in the early part of the 2002 season.

Finished T3 at the British Open at St. Andrews. It was his second top-10 in 15 British Open appearances (3rd, 1992). He was a late addition to the field in St. Andrews after Seve Ballesteros withdrew. It was his best finish in a major since he finished fourth at the 2002 Masters.

Won on European Tour for the first time in four years with victory at Mallorca Classic in Spain. 2004: Lone top-10 of the season was a T9 at the 84 LUMBER Classic, first top-10 since he finished 10th at the 2003 Memorial Tournament. 2003: Finished T8 at the Masters, his second consecutive top-10 in Augusta and his seventh overall there. Also recorded 13th top-15 finish in 16 career Masters.

Finished solo 10th at the Memorial Tournament, aided by a bogey-free 6-under-par 66 in the third round, played in cold and wet conditions with winds up to 35 mph. Only round in the 60s on the day. 2002: Had a career year with seven top-10s and a victory.

Captured sixth career TOUR victory at the Buick Invitational, becoming the first player to win a TOUR event after being "on the cutline" (1-under-par 143) since Mike Sullivan at the 1989 Independent Insurance Agent Open. Erased a four-shot deficit with a final-round 65 to top J.L. Lewis and Mark O'Meara by one stroke, and joined Gary Player (1963) as only foreign-born champion in tournament's 50-year history.

Finished second in the West Coast Swing presented by The St. Paul. 2001: First year as full-time TOUR member.

In 36-hole finish, earned 19th career European Tour victory at French Open. 2000: Split time between European Tour and PGA TOUR.

On European Tour, won the Benson & Hedges International Open.

On PGA TOUR, missed the cut at the THE PLAYERS Championship and Masters, but rebounded later with T12 at the U.S. Open and T4 at the PGA. 1999: Completed a great triumph over adversity when he added a second green jacket to the Masters title he won five years earlier. Finished two shots ahead of Davis Love III for an emotional victory, four years after watching the Masters from his bed due to a back problem. 1998: Captured the Dubai Desert Classic. 1997: After 18-month absence, during which he could not get out of bed, returned to European Tour at the Dubai Classic. He then won the Turespana Masters-Open de Canarias in his third tournament back. 1996: Did not play on the PGA TOUR, rehabbing foot/back.1995: Withdrew from the Ryder Cup suffering from a foot/back problem later diagnosed as rheumatoid polyarthritis in three joints of right foot and two in left. 1994: Won Masters by three strokes over third-round leader Tom Lehman, shooting final-round 69 to Lehman's 72. Moved into contention with third-round 69, to pull within one stroke of Lehman, who also shot 69 on Saturday.

Born the day after a golf course opened next door (Real GC de San Sebastian) where grandfather was greenskeeper. Mother and father also worked there. When grandfather died, Jose's father, Gaspar, took his place as greenskeeper. Father received a club to cut down and Jose, at age 2, used it to hit balls. Mother would take him out on golf course late in the afternoon starting at age 6.