Miguel Angel Jimenez strikes a blow for the veterans
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MIGUEL Angel Jimenez continues to defy his advancing years by advancing his Open hopes and asked of his inquisitors pressing him on his age and chances: “Why should only young people win?”
The 49-year-old continues to master Muirfield with his calm and precise play; returning a level par 71 to add to his opening 68 for a -3 total at the halfway stage.
Tied ninth last year at Royal Lytham and now fully recovered from a broken leg, the Spanish showman is revelling in East Lothian as he bids to strike a blow for the old guard.
His trademark whopping cigars haven’t been out in force – “I didn’t smoke today on the course, but I will before I go to bed” – but his golf has caught fire, as he blazed a smoking hot trail around the links burning many a challenger at this Open.
And as he faced a full press conference at 6pm, Jimenez said: “I feel relaxed; I love what I am doing. It’s the only thing I like to do in my life. And then I enjoy myself. I’m still training and walking and still able to shoot low and still here. It’s nice, no? I have been playing very well.
“Do I feel pressure? Anything that is important to you is going to make you feel pressure. A major is more important. And I’ve been there. Being on top of this field makes you feel a lot of pressure.
“I am leading the Open at 49. Why not? Have I not the right to do it? Only the young people can do it? I’m leading, so I have to go to bed at ten o’clock? No!
“It would be very nice – I’ve been 25 years on the Tour, 19 victories on the Tour, and I would love to have a major in my career, of course. Why not this one? It’d be amazing.”
