Not just missed cuts, but something as simple as poor rounds at Augusta National usually signals a quiet exit. Take Rory McIlroy in 2025 and Robert MacIntyre this year – both did not speak to the media. Yet, 2x Masters winner José María Olazábal is staying behind despite a missed cut with the same intent that once earned him a Green Jacket.
“Masters, but so, so happy to have him with us. José María Olazábal, even though he missed the cut, he is still working on that game. Loves this place and obviously still pretty competitive around here. He was two under through the majority of his first round until he was derailed at the 15th with a nine on the card. You know, it’s great to see he’s still fighting and he was probably without those last few holes, Michael, able to make the cut,” said the commentators covering 60-year-old Olazábal’s practice rounds on Saturday morning.
“I’ll tell you this. Anytime that guy’s got a wedge in his hand hitting shots around the green, you want to pay attention. It’s irrelevant to me whether he missed the cut or made it. I know he would have liked to have made the cut, but he could put on an exhibition with short game prowess.”
Always working.
Despite missing the cut, two-time Masters Champion José María Olazábal gets some work in around the green on Saturday morning. pic.twitter.com/o0SYcAYIMd
— Golf on CBS
(@GolfonCBS) April 11, 2026
José María Olazábal started strongly in Round 1 with birdies on holes 2 and 3. By the end of the front nine, he was 2-under, which is a decent score for the opening 9 holes. However, things started going against him on the back nine, especially on No. 15, the par-5 Firethorn. He hit a bogey on 14, a double bogey on 15, and then a bogey again on 16. This concluded his first round at 2-over 74.
“I look at the leaderboard, I saw myself 2-under par, and for a little while I said to myself, hey, I’m leading the Masters. There you go,” Olazábal said, reflecting on his performance.
His second round turned worse at 7-over 79. While the Spaniard hit a birdie on No. 16, he scored bogeys on holes 3, 7, 11, and 18, and double bogeys on holes 4 and 9. With a combined total of 9-over 153, he missed the cut, which was set at 4-over 148. As the commentator said, if not for the last few holes, specifically holes 4 and 9, the 6x PGA Tour winner could have still made the cut.
But despite missing the cut, José María Olazábal came back to Augusta National on Saturday morning, practicing his wedge game.
“No, I’m not going to give it up, unless my body falls to pieces. I enjoy this week immensely and I want to keep coming for at least two or three more years”, he said afterwards.
The Spaniard has long expressed profound affection for the Masters and Augusta National. He called it a “very special place” that has given him immense joy and success. In 2026, he made his 37th appearance, which is way more than many professionals. In fact, only a few continue to play in the event at 60 years old, Fred Couples being one of them.
Augusta National is the spot that has given him a lot of success. The veteran has won the event twice, in 1994 and then in 1999. In 1994, he finished 9-under 279 with rounds of 74-67-69-69. Then, in 1999, he carded rounds of 70-66-73-71 to finish 8-under 280. In fact, he is one of the professionals who shaped the Masters history. Even though he discontinued playing competitive golf on the PGA Tour in 2013, he continues to play the Masters and makes sure to be at Augusta National every year.
But while he is there showing his affection, not everyone can take the missed cut at the Masters with a positive attitude.
Robert MacIntyre’s frustrated Masters exit
The Scottish World No. 8 was one of the favorites entering the Masters 2026. Yet the event didn’t go at all as he had hoped. In the opening round, he finished 8-over 80, which was 13 strokes behind the leaders. He was visibly frustrated throughout the round, and it all came out at the 15th.
At the par-5 15th, he hit the water twice to end up with a quadruple bogey. After that, he became animated and flipped his middle finger at the camera. He did so even at the 2026 Valero Texas Open. After flipping the finger, the Masters officials reprimanded him. He was so frustrated by the round that he didn’t speak to the media.
In the second round, the 29-year-old hit a 1-under 71. While a decent round, it was not good enough to help him make the cut. Collectively, he finished 7-over 181, while the cut was up to 4-over 148. After missing the cut, he went straight to the Player Services Building without comment. Besides him, Rory McIlroy, Collin Morikawa, Scottie Scheffler, Tiger Woods, and many others have skipped media duties at PGA Tour events after missed cuts or poor rounds.
While Robert MacIntyre’s frustrated exit reflects how difficult it can be to process a missed cut at Augusta National Golf Club, not every player reacts the same way. In contrast, José María Olazábal chose to stay, quietly reinforcing that sometimes the strongest response is to continue the work.
