Jose Maria Olazábal looks set to miss the Masters Tournament as the two-time champion at Augusta National is again suffering from rheumatism.
Champion in 1994 and 1999, the 44 year old Spaniard has not played a tournament since October and his manager Sergio Gomez said he will be pulling out of the Masters this week.
"He has pain in his shoulder, forearms and hands. He can't swing properly, so we won't be going," said Gomez.
"He is practising a little bit, but for not much more than an hour. If new miracle remedies help then he will be back, but traditional medicine is failing."
Olazábal has not played a tournament since finishing 14th at the CASTELLO MASTERS Costa Azahar last October.
It will be the first Masters he has missed since 1996 when he spent the whole season on the sidelines after being diagnosed with rheumatoid polyarthritis.
Olazábal fought his way back to fitness and came back for an emotional second victory at Augusta three years later.
Only four years ago Olazabal finished joint third there and was also part of the winning Ryder Cup team, his first appearance in the match since 1999, but he was able to play only seven European Tour events the following season and six in 2008.
Last year appeared more promising as he upped his tournaments to 16, only for the situation to worsen again over the winter.
Olazabal was inducted into golf's Hall of Fame in Florida in November and a month later was close to tears again when he made a lifetime achievement award to Ballesteros - fighting his own battle with a brain tumour - for the BBC Sports Personality of the Year programme.
