Two-time Masters champion Jose Maria Olazabal is backing his compatriot Sergio Garcia to end his major drought ahead of this week's US Masters which kicks off on Thursday.

The 28-year-old has not had a top-three finish in America or Europe since losing a four-shot lead and then a play-off to Padraig Harrington in last July's British Open Championship.

And heading into the Masters, Olazabal said: "I believe he will win a major - I believe so very strongly.

"We saw last year he has the game. Obviously he is struggling with his putting, and it's his weakest point at the moment," he told Sky Sports. "But to me, he's an excellent player and he has to be patient.

"When he first came on tour he putted really well, and that was one of his strengths.

"He must get fed-up of people asking now. But he has to put all those things away and when anybody asks him about his putting just be polite.

"We all know he can play wonderfully well tee to green, and at the end of the day it's down to making a putt here or there."

Garcia turned professional at the age of 19 in 1999 after producing the best performance ever by a European amateur in the Masters - 38th place in the same week that Olazabal, having overcome crippling arthritis, won his second title.

Four months later, already with a European Tour title to his name, the prodigy was runner-up to Tiger Woods in the US PGA - and a month after that, he was the youngest-ever player in the Ryder Cup, where he won his first three matches.

He looked set to equal or even surpass the career of Seve Ballesteros, who won his first Open title at 22 and four of his five majors before his 28th birthday.

That is Garcia's age now, though - and while there have been 13 top-10 finishes in majors, he is still awaiting his first win.

Olazabal won his first Green Jacket in 1994, and the significance of that for Garcia is that he was 28 and had had major near-misses before.

Among seven top-10 finishes at that point were a third place in The Open at Muirfield in 1992 and a second spot behind Ian Woosnam at Augusta in 1991.

Olazabal benefited from advice from Spanish legend Seve Ballesteros - his long-time Ryder Cup partner - and is happy to do the same for Garcia.

"I spent a lot of time with Seve practising before going to Augusta - and every day there. I remember him making clear that on that golf course the most important thing was to put the ball in the right area on the greens and not to go for the flag on every shot, even if it looks very tempting." he said.

"When chipping around the green use all kind of shots, from sand wedge to nine-iron, seven-iron, putter even.

"Seve mentioned a few times that most likely I would have a chance to win. He gave me that confidence; he said it every time we went there. 'You will see, you will see', he said. 'All you have to do is be patient - your time will come; be prepared'.

"I never had any doubts about approaching Seve for his advice or anything. I never hesitated - he was always there to give his opinion and support."

And Olazabal had these supportive words for Garcia:

"With my lay-off, I've not had a chance to talk to Sergio since Carnoustie. But I think it has to come from him," he added.

"He did a wonderful job of leading except for a little stretch on the front nine the last day, but he regrouped really well from that and hit a lot of great shots.

"On the last green he hit a good putt. Sometimes they go in; sometimes they don't."

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