Masters 2021: In case you missed it, an emotional Jose Maria Olazabal is playing the weekend

AUGUSTA, Ga. – Wearing blue and white – Seve’s colors – in honor of the late Spaniard, Jose Maria Olazabal gave Ballesteros, who died 10 years ago and would’ve turned 64 on Friday, a nice birthday gift.

At 55 years old, Olazabal didn’t just make his first cut at the Masters Tournament since 2014, the two-time green-jacket winner made his first worldwide cut since March 2015.

“I know that making the cut is not such an extraordinary thing,” Olazabal said, “but I want to dedicate this accomplishment to him and all those people who have left us over the last year.”

That list included Olazabal’s longtime manager, Sergio Gomez, who had been coming to Augusta National with him since 1985 and died last year. As he continued, Olazabal started to get choked up and began to cry.

“I think Seve would be happy,” he continued. “I miss not having him here for a big hug. I’m a little emotional. I have to say wholeheartedly that making the cut has been a primary goal in recent years. When you see the years going by and you don’t get it, it gets tough.”

Olazabal, who won at Augusta National in 1994 and ’99, finished 36 holes at 2 over and earned a 10:50 a.m. ET starting time Saturday alongside another Masters champ, Patrick Reed.