Golf has a habit of throwing up heart-warming stories, such as Paul Azinger's successful battle against cancer, or the rainbow that appeared just as Davis Love III was dedicating his 1997 USPGA
Championship win to his late father.

But few victories have been as inspirational as the one Jose Maria Olazabal achieved by winning his second US Masters title in 1999 after overcoming crippling pain in both feet.

The Spanish golfing genius rarely talks about those problems these days. But appreciating what he went through is crucial to understanding why he is such a fearsome battler - a trait Asia's top golfers will encounter when he captains Europe for the first time at the third edition of the Royal Trophy.

At its worst, Olazabal's condition was so debilitating he could not walk more than a few steps. He often had to crawl to the bathroom. Playing 18 holes of golf seemed an impossibility during those dark days - and winning another Major title was simply beyond his wildest dreams.

The problem was made worse when Olzabal was wrongly diagnosed as suffering from rheumatoid arthritis, and it was only when one of his sponsors suggested he should contact a celebrated German doctor that his fortunes changed. Olazabal recalled: "One of my sponsors were investigating the possibility of building a shoe that could relieve some of the pain when they mentioned Dr. Hans-Wilhelm Muller-Wohlfahrt. I said, 'Well, I have nothing to lose. I've tried everything else.'

"He sent me to different doctors to get blood tests done, all kinds of things. Then he came up and said: 'I believe that it's not what has been diagnosed. I think there's another problem here, and I believe we can solve the situation.'

"According to the doctor, the problem was caused in my lower back, between a couple of vertebrae that were pinching some of the nerves. It was from birth.

"I was very sceptical at first, but I went along with him and had a course of injections in my lower back that were very painful. And slowly, I started to feel the pain in my feet ease. It was never spotted before because nobody looked there.

"During the summer of 1996, I thought that I would never be able to play golf again. That was a real chance. But I was more worried about the quality of my life. It was harder thinking about that than imagining or thinking about the possibility of not playing golf again. I thought that in a few years time, I wouldn't be able to walk again."

Yet not only was Olazabal able to return to competitive golf at the 1997 Dubai Desert Classic, but within two years he was able to repeat his 1994 Masters victory.

And after missing the 1995 Ryder Cup when his health problems began to take their toll, he was back in the team to help his great friend and mentor Seve Ballesteros guide Europe towards a memorable victory over the Americans on Spanish soil.

That victory at Valderrama was the culmination of a glorious Ryder Cup alliance between Ballesteros and Olazabal. The Spanish greats are easily the most successful duo in the history of the competition. They played together in four Ryder Cups, and won 11 and halved two of their 15 matches.

So Olazabal was the natural choice to take over as European Captain for this week's showdown with Asia in Bangkok when Seve had to pass on the prestigious post, as he continues to recuperate after undergoing surgery to remove a brain tumour.

Olazabal is also certain to succeed Ballesteros as a Ryder Cup Captain in the near future. He was offered the post for next year's shoot-out at Celtic Manor in Wales, but he feels at 42 he can still make the team as a player. He would be a popular choice as captain when the competition returns to the USA in 2012, as his victories at Augusta have earned him enormous respect from the Americans.

And this week he will be determined not to be associated with another European setback, after serving as Nick Faldo's assistant when the Americans secured their first Ryder Cup win since 2002 at Valhalla four months ago.

Olly will call on all his famous fighting qualities to make sure that does not happen again. Europe's 'ninth man' could well prove to be their most potent weapon.