THERE really must be something in that Spanish water with 50 year old Miguel Angel Jiménez notching yet another win for 2014 – this time his national open at his 27th attempt.
Then again, it doesn’t seem to be water that often passes the evergreen Spaniard’s lips.
Jimenez beat Australia’s Richard Green and Belgium’s Thomas Pieters on the first hole of a sudden death playoff to take the 2014 Open de España at the PGA Catalunya Resort in Girona after they finished regulation tied at 4-under.
Jiménez has now won 21 European Tour titles, 14 of them coming since he turned 40, and Sunday’s hard-fought victory extended his own record for being the oldest winner in European Tour history, aged 50 years and 133 days. This beats his previous record of 49 years and 337 days at the 2014 Hong Kong Open.
It also continues a remarkable season.
The cigar chomping, wine-loving 50 year old was in contention to become the oldest Major Champion in history before finishing fourth in the US Masters last month, and seven days later won on his US Champions Tour debut.
He has since got married, and now become the first player to win twice on The Race to Dubai in 2014.
“There’s no words to describe what it means to me, you need to be into my skin but I’m not going to let you!” Jiménez said. “It’s amazing. It’s my 21st victory on The European Tour and 27 times I played the Spanish Open. I have been close a couple of times. Today it was very tough out there but I got it in the end.
“All the victories are special, all are unique, some of them give you more money, some less, but all of them are important. You play to win and when you make it you have to appreciate it.”
Asked the secret of his longevity, Jiménez responded: “There is no secret. Good food, good wine, good cigars and some exercise!”
Jiménez’s big goal this year is to become the oldest ever Ryder Cup player and his win leaves him just outside automatic selection.
“I would love to make The Ryder Cup team, I would break all the records at 50,” added Jiménez, whose last appearance was at The Celtic Manor Resort in 2010. “I hope I can make the team and defend the European colours in Scotland.”
Richard Green began the final round three shots behind overnight leader Pieters but after three birdies on the front nine looked to have cruelled his chances with a triple bogey on the 14th. He struck back immediately with a birdie on the 15th and closed further when the frontrunners both bogeyed the 17th.
Green had won two of this three European Tour titles in play-offs, but now has ten second-place finishes to his name.
“I have to take a lot of positives out of it, it’s the best I’ve played since the French Open last year,” the 43 year old said.
“I played well in the Australian Open over Christmas, just unfortunately struggling to get the job done. I couldn’t count how many times I have run second on The European Tour.
“It’s just a shame that when the heat of the battle comes along a bit of misfortune happens every now and again.
“The 14th hole cost me big time and I played pretty solid from that point in and probably should have won the tournament by two shots if that had just been a par.”
Australia’s only other entrant in the field was Wade Ormsby who finished tied for 15th.
2014 Spanish Open Final Results