Only three players in the history of the European Tour have won the same official tournament five times. Tom Watson is a five-time British Open champion, Bernhard Langer won five German Open titles… and then (of course) there’s Tiger Woods. Actually, not on European soil, but in co-announced events, he won eight WGC Bridgestone Invitational titles and seven World Series Championships in Mexico.
This week, Miguel Angel Jimenez tries to join that illustrious group and extend his already victorious history on the European Tour. The Malaga star won the Hong Kong Open in 2005, 2008 and 2012 and in 2013, when he became the oldest winner on the European Tour, at 49 years and 337 days. He then became the first player over 50 to win on Tour (at the 2014 Spanish Open), at 50 years and 133 days.
The UBS Hong Kong Open, now in its 59th year, marks the start of the European Tour season. It was first played in 1959, when Lu Liang-huan won, and is the longest running sporting event in Hong Kong. Last year, Australian Sam Brazel won the with a birdie on the last hole and secured the Tour card for the first time in his 14-year professional career. He had started the week ranked 480th in the world.
This week, another bouquet of stars is congregating in Hong Kong for the inaugural Race to Dubai 2018 tournament, including the European Tour’s new number one Tommy Fleetwood. The Englishman narrowly edged out compatriot Justin Rose in a thrilling battle in Dubai last week to top the season standings and seal his first Race to Dubai crown, and both will be in action again at Hong Kong Golf Club.
Playing the Hong Kong Open for the first time in his career is reigning Masters champion Sergio Garcia. Also on Chinese soil will be Rafael Cabrera Bello, who finished second in Hong Kong last year after getting off to an overwhelming start with opening rounds of 64 and 65 on Thursday and Friday, defending champion Brazel, other past winners Scott Hend and Grégory Bourdy… and all-time fan favorite, the great and inimitable Miguel Ángel Jiménez.
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