INTERVIEW - Healthy competition the target for Olazabal

By Mark Lamport-Stokes

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Double U.S. Masters champion Jose Maria Olazabal, whose career has been dogged by assorted rheumatoid problems, has set his sights on getting healthy enough to be competitive for at least another three years.

A wizard of the short game and one of the most talented players of his generation, the Spaniard was limited to a handful of events on the European Tour in 2007 and 2008 but has so far managed to play in 16 tournaments this season.

"My main concern right now is to get healthy," Olazabal, 43, told Reuters by telephone before being inducted into the Hall of Fame in St. Augustine, Florida on Monday.

"If I can get healthy, I can be competitive for another three, four or five years at least. That would certainly be a goal for me now.

"The level of competition nowadays is much higher and you can see it in how low the scores are. And that's playing under really tough conditions with high rough and hard greens. So to be able to be competitive, that would be a good achievement."

Olazabal lost most of 1995 and all of 1996 while suffering polyarthritis in his feet before coming back to take part in a successful 1997 Ryder Cup and win his second Masters title in 1999.

However, rheumatism struck him down in 2007 and he played only seven events on the European Tour that season, followed by six in 2008.

Asked to assess the state of his health, Olazabal replied: "It is pretty much stable at the moment. It is not getting any worse but it's not improving as I much as I would like.