Miguel Angel Jimenez In the Bag: UBS Hong Kong Open
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Miguel Angel Jimenez became the oldest winner on the European Tour by capturing his third UBS Hong Kong Open title at Fanling Golf Club.
The 48-year-old fired a final round of 65 to win by a shot over Sweden’s Fredrik Anderson Hed, whose putt on the final green to force a play-off agonizingly lipped out.
Jimenez is six months older than Des Smyth was when he won the 2001 Madeira Islands Open. The victory was Jiménez’ 19th on The European Tour and 12th since turning 40 – two of which also came in Fanling in 2005 and 2008.
“It’s very nice – I hope it’s not the last one,” joked the Spaniard, who was an assistant Captain at The Ryder Cup in Medinah. “I really love this place. I love the golf course – it’s a great golf course where you have to control the ball very well, it’s not a matter of distance.”
Asked about the secret of his longevity Jiménez, responded: “This is maybe the olive oil in my joints, and the nice Rioja wine and those things keep you fit and flexible.
“The most important thing, I do what I like to do in my life, and golf has given me all of this pleasure. Winning now, at 48, my goodness – 24 years I’ve been on the Tour.
“I still love it and I think that is fantastic, to love what you’re doing, and enjoy yourself, keep fit, keep working myself a little bit and stretching a lot, and that’s the main thing to do to compete with the new guns.”
Here are the clubs the veteran Spaniard used to claim his third UBS Hong Kong Open title:
Driver: PING I20 9.5 degree 46 inch UST Attas T3 60X shaft
Fairway woods: PING Anser 14.5 3-Wood, PING I20 18 degree 5 Wood
Irons: PING Anser II 3-PW, S3 Superlite shaft, Lamkin Permawrap 58 Round grips.
Wedges: Tour II Gorge Wedge 52 SS and 60 SS (60 at 59) Red Lie.
Putter: Anser Milled 1, 34 inch, Blue Lie, 3 deg Loft.
Ball: Titleist Pro V1
