Miguel Ángel Jiménez wins The Senior Open at Saint Andrews

He adds his second major of the year “on the best possible stage where every golfer dreams of winning”.

Miguel Angel Jimenez has won his second major title of the year, The Senior Open presented by Rolex, with a final round of 69 strokes and 12 under par overall to win by one stroke ahead of Germany’s Bernhard Langer on the Old Course at St Andrews, “the best possible stage where every golfer dreams of winning”.

The player from Malaga (Churriana, Malaga, 5/1/1964) is having an excellent season in the veterans’ circuit, in which he has eight Top Ten including a victory and a second place: he won his first Major in May (Regions Tradition) and was second in the US Senior Championship. And in the four tournaments he has played on the European Tour he has not finished lower than 20th: he was 7th in Hong Kong, 19th in Dubai, 14th in Italy and 12th in Austria.

Jimenez: “I am happy, very excited, it is a very special victory, one of the most important of my career. Second major of the year and at St. Andrews, in the cradle of golf, in the best possible scenario where every golfer dreams of winning. It’s incredible, impressive.

“I played well all week and today, very solid the back nine, that was the key. I knew I was hitting the ball well but I was also aware that it was not going to be an easy tournament but quite the opposite. I have been patient and tried to stay calm at all times and not lose my concentration.

“When you come to St. Andrews you feel something different, it’s a place that inspires, it’s the history of our sport. Seve won his second British Open here and it has always been the mirror in which we have all reflected, but it has not been my only inspiration this week: playing the first two rounds with Tom Watson and Bernardo (Bernhard Langer) has been an incredible experience. Two “monsters” of golf who play the ball impressively well and who gave me wings.

“The putt for par on the 17th hole was crucial, it calmed me down, it was very important to go to the 18th with a one stroke lead. On the 14th I had doubts and on the 15th I made the only bogey of the day because of three putts, I lost the advantage I had of three strokes and my heart rate shot up, it seemed that my heart was going to burst out of my chest.

“It was a very exciting victory and in an incredible place, where my name is already part of the history of golf. I feel very proud.

PALMARÉS

European Tour 21 titles

2014 Spanish Open
2013 Hong Kong Open
2012 UBS Hong Kong Open
2010 Omega European Masters, Crans-sur-Sierre, Switzerland
2010 French Open, Paris
2010 Omega Dubai Desert Classic, Dubai
2008 BMW PGA Championship, Wentworth, England
2007 Hong Kong Open
2005 Omega Hong Kong Open
2005 The Celtic Manor Wales Open, Wales
2004 Johnnie Walker Classic, Bangkok, Thailand
2004 Algarve Open de Portugal
2004 BMW Asian Open, Shanghai, China
2004 BMW International Open, Munich, Germany
2003 Turespaña Mallorca Classic, Pula Golf, Mallorca
1999 Volvo Masters, Montecastillo, Jerez de la Frontera, Spain.
1999 Turespaña Open de Andalucía, Parador Málaga Golf
1998 Turespaña Masters Open Baleares, Santa Ponça, Mallorca
1998 Trophèe Lancôme, Paris
1994 Heineken Dutch Open, The Netherlands
1992 Open Piaget Belgium

Champions / Staysure Tour 6 titles

2014 Greater Gwinnett Championship
2015 Mitsubishi Electric Championship
2016 Mississippi Gulf Resort Classic presented by C-Spire
2017 Mississippi Gulf Resort Classic
2018 Regions Tradition (Large)
2018 The Open Senior presented by Rolex (Large)

Ryder Cup

1999, 2004 (European victory)
2008 and 2010 (victory in Europe)
Vice-captain in 1997 under Seve Ballesteros, in 2012 with his great friend José Mari Olazábal and in 2014 with Paul McGinley.

Dunhill Cup1999 and 2000 victories of Spain with Jimenez in the team

Seve Trophy