Thanks for the memories, Ollie

José María Olazábal has thanked fans, players and officials for ‘the memories’ after bowing out from the BMW PGA Championship for the last time.

The Spaniard, who triumphed in this event in 1994, was greeted to a guard of honour on the 18th green at Wentworth Golf Club after his 25th and final appearance in the prestigious event came to an end.

After exchanging handshakes and hugs with countrymen Gonzalo Fernández-Castaño, Miguel Ángel Jiménez, Jon Rahm, Rafa Cabrera Bello, Jorge Campillo, Alvaro Quiros, Nacho Elvira abd Adrian Otaegui, along with European Tour officials, the 53-year-old waved to the West Course crowds one last time, 33 years after he first teed it up at the Surrey venue.

“Throughout the day I was thinking about my whole career on the European Tour, especially at this place,” he said.

“When I got to 18 I looked into the crowd and then at the grandstands and I saw a huge group of the Spanish players there – that’s when I got emotional and had to look back the other way!

“I have wonderful memories from all the times I’ve played here, it’s a wonderful golf course.”

Olazábal first competed at Wentworth in 1986, his rookie season on the European Tour, and made the cut on debut, before going on to finish in a share of 44th.

He frequently got the better of the West Course after that, claiming six top-20 finishes in seven years – including a runner-up berth in 1992 – before his title-winning performance in 1994, which came one month after he won his first Major, the Masters Tournament.

A final round of 65 saw Olazábal secure a one-stroke win over Ernie Els – his 16th victory on the European Tour – in a season where he claimed fourth place in the Order of Merit, behind Seve Ballesteros, Bernhard Langer and Colin Montgomerie.

After 25 appearances in this tournament, Olazábal sits 12th in the all-time list for most events played at Wentworth – Sam Torrance leads the way with 32. A legend on and off the West Course, we’ll miss you, Ollie.