Jimenez Becomes Oldest European Tour Winner
Sunday, Miguel Angel Jimenez became the oldest European Tour winner by capturing his third Hong Kong Open title with a 5-under 65.
The previous record was set by Ireland’s Des Smyth, who was 48 years and 34 days when he won the 2001 Madeira Islands Open. Jimenez won at 48 years and 34 days.
Jimenez won his 19th tour victory by making four straight birdies form the seventh hole in his third straight bogey-free round. He finished with a 15-under total of 265 on the Fanling course. Fredrik Andersson Hed of Sweden finished second with a bogey-free 64.
Jimenez earned $333,330 for the win, while Andersson Hed secured a place in next week’s season-ending DP World Tour Championship with his second-place finish.
Jimenez said, “Winning now, and becoming the oldest winner on the tour at 48, my goodness. Twenty-four years I’ve been on the tour, I’ve been around a long time. But I still love it and 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 keep the body to compete with the new guns.”
Jimenez celebrated with his traditional glass of Rioja and a cigar, and he credited those habits with helping his longevity. “There is maybe olive oil in my joints, and drinking the nice Rioja wine and those things keeps me fit and flexible,” he said. “Well, the most important thing (is), I do what I like to do in my life, and golf has given me all of this pleasure.”