Olazabal ready for return to golf

Jose Maria Olazabal makes his return to golf at the Open this week - but it is likely to be a painful one.

The Masters champion has not played since breaking a bone in his right hand at the US Open last month.

He suffered the injury banging his fist against the wall of his hotel room in anger after shooting a five-over-par opening round of 75.

It was touch and go whether Olazabal would recover in time for Carnoustie, but he was amongst the first to tee off in practice today.

However, the 33-year-old Spaniard still has the two outside fingers of the hand strapped together and said: "They will probably stay that way all week.

"I've had to adjust my grip because of it and the doctors have told me I'm going to feel some pain for a few more weeks yet."

With its ferocious rough, Carnoustie would certainly not be the course he would choose for his comeback.

But this is the Open and having had to pull out of one major because of the bizarre incident, Olazabal was determined not to miss another.

"I was given the okay to start practising a week ago and I played two rounds at home before coming here," he said.

He arrived just in time yesterday to see Michael Schumacher break his leg in the British Grand Prix.

"My injury was bad enough, but that was far worse," he said.

Olazabal practised this morning with Spanish whizzkid Sergio Garcia - already seen as his likely partner in this September's Ryder Cup - and fellow countrymen Miguel Angel Martin and Miguel Angel Jimenez.

There was instant encouragement for Olazabal off the first tee when he hit the straightest and longest drive.

It was noticeable that autograph hunters were more interested in 19-year-old Garcia than Olazabal.

The youngster has become one of the top attractions after winning the Irish Open eight days ago in only his sixth professional tournament and then finishing joint second behind Colin Montgomerie at Loch Lomond on Saturday.

In May Olazabal had asked the media not to expect too much of Garcia too soon. But last year's British amateur champion has wasted no time establishing himself as a real star.