By David Westin
The Augusta Chronicle

Augsuta, Ga. -- The Masters Tournament field, which has been growing by an average of one player per week recently, lost one on Friday.

As expected, 1994 Masters champion Jose Maria Olazabal of Spain withdrew from the 60th Masters, scheduled April 11-14 at the Augusta National Golf Club.

Olazabal, who turned 30 on Feb. 5, has played one round of golf since September due to a chronic foot problem.

``We got the word today (on the withdrawal),'' Augusta National press secretary Martha Gay said on Friday.

``I deeply regret Jose Maria will not be able to participate,'' Augusta National Chairman Jack Stephens said.

Olazabal has also withdrawn from next week's BellSouth Classic in Marietta, Ga.

The projected Masters field now stands at 92 players, the most since 103 played in 1966. There were 87 starters in the 1995 Masters.

The winners of the three previous PGA Tour events - Tim Herron, Paul Goydos and Scott McCarron - have played their way into the Masters, and a fourth is knocking on the door.

Herron won the Honda Classic, Goydos won the Bay Hill Invitational and McCarron won the Freeport-McDermott Classic.

Tommy Tolles, a former University of Georgia golfer who has not qualified for the Masters, is leading The Players Championship in Ponte Vedra, Fla., at the halfway mark.

After having surgery on Jan. 31, 1995 to shorten a bone in his right foot, Olazabal managed to tie for 14th place in the 1995 Masters despite walking with a noticeable limp.

Diagnosed later as rheumatoid arthritis in the right foot, the malady forced Olazabal to turn down a spot on the Ryder Cup team and limited him to just one round of golf in seven months.

Olazabal's manager Sergio Gomez said two weeks ago that his client did not want to go to the Masters ``in a bad condition.''

Olazabal hoped to make his return to competition in the Dubai Desert Classic in mid-March. After a couple of days of practice at the course in the United Arab Emirates, Olazabal said ``it appears clear to me that I am not yet able to walk a round of golf every day."