Golf-Slick Masters conditions remind Olazabal of 1999

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By Mark Lamport-Stokes AUGUSTA, Georgia, April 11 (Reuters) - Jose Maria Olazabal's victory at the 1999 Masters is often referenced as the last time Augusta National played fast and firm throughout the tournament but the Spaniard believes this year's edition could match it. Only 19 players in the field of 97 broke par in Thursday's opening round and, with conditions becoming even tougher on Friday, Olazabal predicted that very few were likely to dip under 72 in Sunday's final round. "Today the greens were getting firmer and with this wind, if it stays like this, we are going to see some really fast, fast putts," the 48-year-old Spaniard told Reuters after carding a second successive two-over-par 74. But it really started to blow when we got to nine." Sunny, breezy conditions have been forecast for the next two days and Olazabal had no doubts about how difficult it would be for the contenders as the year's opening major approached its finale.

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