How old is Jose Maria Olazabal? Where Spanish golfer ranks among oldest Masters players, champions

The 2026 Masters field, as it is just about every year, is full of former champions.

One of the luxuries of securing a green jacket is that for the rest of a golfer's life, they receive an invitation to the major. While that doesn't necessarily mean the former champion has to participate — Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson won't be at Augusta National for this year's tournament — the "lifetime invitation" rule also opens the door for older stars to return to glory with just one weekend of excellent golf.

At the 2026 Masters, Jose Maria Olazabal falls into that category. The two-time Masters winner hasn't had a top-3 finish at the tournament since 2006, and has missed the cut in seven of his last nine appearances, but Olazabal got off to a nice start in Thursday's Round 1.

Here's what to know about Olazabal's age and where he ranks among the oldest players at the 2026 Masters.

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How old is Jose Maria Olazabal?

Olazabal is 60 years old. He will turn 61 on Feb. 5, 2027.

When he won his first Masters in 1994, Olazabal was 28 years old. He then claimed the green jacket again in 1999, when he was 33 years old.

MORE MASTERS 2026:

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• Odds, betting favorites, expert picks for the 2026 Masters
• Complete list of golfers playing in the Masters

Oldest players at 2026 Masters

Olazabal is one of the very few 60-year-olds playing at the 2026 Masters, but he isn't quite the oldest.

That title goes to Fred Couples, who is competing at 66 years old. Also older than Olazbal is Vijay Singh, who is 63.

Olazabal is the third-oldest player in the field — but he got off to a terrific start in the first round on Thursday.

MORE MASTERS NEWS:

• Complete list of Masters winners by year
• Why Augusta National always hosts the Masters
• Who has won the most Masters of all time?
• History behind the famous Masters green jacket
• Inside Augusta's iconic Amen's Corner

Who is the oldest player to win the Masters?

The oldest player to ever win the Masters was already a legend by that point: Jack Nicklaus in 1986. In one of the most iconic comebacks in tournament history, Nicklaus, at age 46, won his sixth green jacket and the final major of his storied career.

Nicklaus' win is the only time a player 45 or older has won the Masters. In 2019, when Tiger Woods re-emerged to win the tournament, he was 43 years and three months old, making him the second-oldest Masters winner.

Here's a look at the oldest Masters winners:

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